2-2: Concern for Leandro Paredes in Boca Juniors
In another circumstance, perhaps a draw against the leader of Group A (Instituto), as a visitor and after being at a disadvantage twice, would sound positive. However, for Mouth The feeling is negative because in this 2-2 record in Córdoba they lost Leandro Paredes.
Boca came out with several changes in its initial formation because it reserved half a dozen starters thinking about the next objectives, the Copa Sudamericana against Vasco da Gama and the Superclásico against River. However, when they lost 1-2 in the second half, Rodolfo Arruabarrena decided to bring in two starters: Paredes and Miguel Merentiel.
The midfielder lasted a few minutes on the field and asked for a change due to muscle discomfort in his right hamstring, in the same place where he suffered that tear that almost left him out of the World Cup.
Now this injury already rules Paredes out of Tuesday’s semifinal at Bombonera against Vasco da Gama and almost certainly also rules him out of the rematch in Brazil. And on the other hand, he will arrive just enough for the duel with River in the league, scheduled for 23 days.
Beyond Paredes’ injury, Boca always had to come back from the game due to its mistakes in marking on set pieces. In that way, Instituto scored the two goals through Fernando Alarcón and Jonatan Galván. With a referee error in the second: there was a prior foul against Marco Pellegrino that was not sanctioned, something that generated a lot of anger in Boca. Boca tied it 1-1 with a carom by Enner Valencia and 2-2 with a beautiful play with several touches defined by Merentiel.
Instituto remains firm as leader of Group A with 26 points. Boca is 21 and does not seem to be in danger of qualifying for the Clausura playoffs. The two points that the Arruabarrena team lost hurt them more in the Annual Tournament table, because if they won they would take the leadership away from Independiente Rivadavia.
Now we will have to see how Boca reacts in the decisive matches that are coming without Paredes, without that captain who sets the pace of the game and absorbs all the pressures.
