Boca beat River 1-0 at La Bombonera and secured a victory combining emotional weight with concrete consequences. The team reached 60 points, recovered first place in the annual table and moved one round from turning that advantage into decisive qualification. River lost the possibility of becoming League Champion and must find another route into the Copa Libertadores.
The Superclásico changed after nine minutes. Lucas Martínez Quarta fouled Miguel Merentiel as the forward moved towards a clear scoring opportunity; Nicolás Ramírez reviewed the incident and produced a red card. The dismissal forced River to replace Lucas Beltrán early with Lautaro Rivero and reconstruct their plan with one fewer player for more than eighty minutes.
Boca converted the numerical advantage in the 27th minute. Sebastián Villa delivered a corner and Lautaro Di Lollo appeared unmarked to head beyond Santiago Beltrán. The defender had already tested the goalkeeper and then decided the match's defining move. The set piece was not isolated: the hosts accumulated deliveries and occupied the box more consistently after the red card.
Numerical superiority did not remove all tension. River attempted to survive through Nicolás Otamendi and Lautaro Rivero, while Thiago Almada searched for an escape route. Boca had chances to extend the lead through Santiago Ascacíbar and Leandro Paredes; near the end, Alan Velasco struck the post. The missing second goal kept a contest open despite its direction.
The second dismissal arrived after 34 minutes of the second half. Gonzalo Montiel received red for a serious challenge on Lautaro Blanco, leaving River with nine. Boca then managed possession and territory but still had to defend the final aerial balls. Leandro Paredes described the performance through intelligence: the side chose when to accelerate and when to protect its narrow advantage.
The defeat's impact extends beyond the rivalry for River. On 52 annual points, they must now win the Clausura to qualify for the next Libertadores. They close the regular phase away to already relegated Aldosivi in Mar del Plata, needing to restore discipline and collective function. The red cards will also restrict the personnel available for that assignment.
Boca host Defensa y Justicia in the final round with 60 points and control of their annual position, although nothing has yet been won. The victory strengthens confidence, keeps several objectives alive and projects authority over the historic rival. The next challenge is converting Superclásico euphoria into competitive focus without mistaking provisional leadership for a completed mission.
