Diego Martínez
opted for the double nine at the start, with
Miguel Merentiel
, starter in all official and friendly matches with the new coach, and
Edinson Cavani
, who during the preseason sought to improve physically after an injury that spoiled the end of 2023. The duo started yet with that goal from La
Fiera
, who has worn the Boca shirt for 19 minutes, at 8 minutes.
However, it was a cursed night for the other Uruguayan who has more than 400 goals in his career: the Matador had five goal situations and the only one he converted was in an advanced position.
To complete a devastating panorama in the Nuevo Gasómetro, he retired injured, with discomfort in his left thigh.
While Merentiel, with those 19 goals in 52 games, reached Santiago Silva
(55) and
Ariel Krasousk
(161) in the Uruguayan scoring table
and by goal average he climbed onto the podium led by
Sergio Martínez
(87) and
Severino Varela
(43), Cavani has only 3 goals in 18 games for the club.
In the first half Cavani had a good performance, but further from the goal.
But everything changed in the final part.
At 4 minutes into the second, he poked into space after a pass between the lines from
Kevin Zenón
and defined after eluding the goalkeeper.
He celebrated but immediately looked towards the assistant's position and realized that he was ahead (one body length at least).
This was the VAR review of the disallowed goal against Cavani 🖥️#LPFxTNTSports pic.twitter.com/wCdBeiJor8
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) February 1, 2024
Three minutes later, the second chance: after another clearance from Zenón, and again left-footed, the Uruguayan forward shot freely, this time inside the crescent, but his shot went wide.
A while later, a cross arrived from the left, he headed and the ball traveled throughout the small area and went wide.
CAVANI MISSED THE SECOND FROM BOCA ❌
Great definition from the Uruguayan who went very close to Monetti's post #LPFxTNTSports pic.twitter.com/D4azSKyl4R
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) February 1, 2024
For the third time in the match (and in the second half), Zenón left Cavani in front of the goal and this time it was the crossbar that denied the Uruguayan striker the goal.
After an exquisite filtered pass from the former Unión, the Matador made a pass before goalkeeper
Fernando Monetti
came out , but his shot crashed against the horizontal.
At that point, the forward could not hide his annoyance at the tremendous bad fortune.
CAVANI IS NOT GIVEN ❌ The Boca forward scored a beautiful finish but hit the crossbar #LPFxTNTSports pic.twitter.com/OYeCop5Ib0
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) February 1, 2024
A while later, another filtered pass from Zenón, with a great game, left Cavani in front of the goal but the forward missed the ball when trying to raise it over Monetti who had reduced it, and the goalkeeper won the one-on-one match.
In the vain effort of that play he felt discomfort in his left thigh, he signaled to the bench and Benedetto immediately entered, to complete a black night.
Cavani asked for the change after this play in which he could not define ❌#LPFxTNTSports pic.twitter.com/jq3aSitCYk
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) February 1, 2024
The final image after the 1-1 score seemed surreal.
The new kid, Zenón, came up to hug the veteran scorer, who was heartbroken over the draw, the lost goals and the injury.
Football things.