Football | Boca Juniors 2 - 2 Benfica

Boca and Benfica shared the spoils in a breathless encounter

Boca Juniors and Benfica began their Club World Cup campaigns with a pulsating contest 

Author | Peter Grainger

Despite a bright start from the Portuguese side, it was Boca who struck first. Midfielder Carlos Palacios beat his man to a long goal kick and picked out Lautaro Blanco in space on the left. The full-back glided past Florentino with a sharp nutmeg before delivering a pinpoint low cross to the near post, where Miguel Merentiel deftly flicked in the opener.

The travelling Boca support had barely finished celebrating when their side doubled the lead. A corner to the back post found centre-back Ayrton Costa, who nodded it back across goal for Rodrigo Battaglia to rise highest and head home from close range.

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The tempo showed no signs of letting up, with chances and challenges flying in at both ends. On the stroke of half-time, VAR intervened to award Benfica a penalty after Nicolas Otamendi was judged to have been fouled by Palacios. Angel Di Maria calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, reducing the deficit in what is likely to be his final tournament for the club.

Benfica turned to veteran striker Andrea Belotti in the second half, but his introduction quickly turned sour. The Italian was dismissed for dangerous play after catching Costa with a high boot. Yet the Lisbon side were not finished. Otamendi, again at the heart of the action, ghosted in unmarked to head home an equaliser from a corner.

There was still time for more drama, as Boca’s Nicolas Figal saw red in the closing moments. With neither side able to find a winner, both teams head into their next fixtures knowing that qualification remains firmly in the balance.

It wasn’t all about Boca in the end

Three hours before kick-off, blue and yellow shirts were already streaming through the surroundings of the Hard Rock Stadium. The atmosphere they created before, during and after the match was simply sensational. Benfica weren’t just there to make up the numbers, though.

The very fact they are appearing in the competition will have boosted the club’s profile. They haven’t won a major international trophy in many years, but they will believe they can cause a shock once everyone ha