The Xeneize started strongly in Miami and got 2-0 up with goals from Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia, but Benfica reacted and tied with so many of the Argentines Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi in a dramatic closure
Photo: AFP Agency
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Two Argentines, Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi, made Boca Juniors on Monday their debut in the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring two goals that traced a 0-2 and defined 2-2 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Boca Juniors was up 2-0 after 27 minutes with goals from Uruguayan Miguel Merentiel and Argentine Rodrigo Battaglia, but Di María cut distances from the penalty spot to the edge of the break and Otamendi tied head in 83 when Benfica played with ten men.
After receiving the 2-2, the Argentine team, led by Miguel Ángel Russo, also ended with ten for the direct red to Jorge Figal, which will be lost the next appointment, against Bayern Munich. Against the German team, who ran 10-0 at Auckland City this Sunday, there will not be Ander Herrera, who was sustained by injury and subsequently expelled for protesting the referee.
For Benfica it was a point that knows Victoria in a new football recital by Ángel Di María and in an afternoon in which the Spanish Álvaro Carreras, sought by Real Madrid, played a great game for the left wing.
Xeneize show in the stands
He opted for a compact 4-2-3-1 Miguel Ángel Russo for his debut in the Club World Cup and his players interpreted the drawing brilliantly. Supported by the tireless public Xeneize, Boca knew how to suffer when Benfica took command of the ball, locked himself in defense with order and waited for the time to harm the counterattack.
Di María took Benfica and moved the ball with high quality, despite the fierce and physical defense of Boca. It was not an easy beginning for the Argentine team, which also lost by muscle injury to Ander Herrera at 20 minutes, but the effort had a prize.
Because in one of his first arrivals, Lautaro Blanco placed a satin center from the band and Merentiel, one of the most fit, advanced to Otamendi and Trubin to play the ball enough to send it to the bottom of the meshes. It was the 21st minute and for Benfica it was a psychological blow. Six minutes later, in an action originated in a corner serve, a prolonged coast and battaglia, also on the head, climbed the score 2-0.
Benfica's comeback
Boca sent 2-0 and had the spectacular support of his fans. He had everything in favor, but the game was complicated just before the break, when Carlos Palacios kicked Otamendi inside the penalty area in a divided ball and caused the maximum penalty.
Di María transformed the penalty with pure class and changed the inertia of the match to return to the changing rooms. The fifteen minutes of rest helped Boca reorganize the ideas and the second half was very fought, with lower rhythms, protests and physical play.
In one of those clashes, the Italian Andrea Belotti kicked up and ended up expelled with direct red in the 72nd minute. Miguel Ángel Russo's team had wind again in favor, but did not know how to manage the advantage.
With races hurting the left wing, Benfica approached with danger to the goal of Agustín Marchesín and, in a corner kick, hung the center that Otamendi hit with head power to tie 2-2.
Boca Juniors had no strength to react and ended up losing lucidity. It was demonstrated by the hard foul committed by Figal in 90, punished with direct red by the referee.
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