Riquelme Xensational
Juan Román Riquelme gave one of the greatest virtuoso performances in his swansong, leading Boca to their 17th international title.
Those threats that were given in the days leading to the days prior to the match had more substance on the way to the pitch. That all ended when the opening whistle was blown and Grêmio played like a bully whose hollow words were exposed as such. The Xeneize showed their true colors, and what better way to symbolize that fearlessness than to see Sergio Orteman drinking mate alongside Pedro Pompilio while they were recognizing the pitch.
The Tricolor Gaúcho did not show anything on the field, their desperation as well as their tactical limitations were exposed and the Argentines showed their mettle once again as this ambience did not even fase them.
Boca’s intelligence was obvious. They were able to expose Lucas’ marking deficiency and abused that crease behind the Brazilians’ defensive midfield line. Their was also a source of luck that follows a champion, and the posts and crossbars wanted them to be champs. Diego Souza and Tuta were denied. Their opportunites were plenty but they lacked that danger that would have made the Boca defensive line uncomfortable.
As the old football proverb goes, “those goals that don’t end up in their net… end up in yours.” That was exactly what happened. Riquelme was brilliant and he was the man that made the difference. If Grêmio were teetering at one point, Juan Román’s goal KO’d them with his brilliance.
He was the player that taught everyone that style and skill will always overcome strength and brutality. With his back to the goal, he let the ball roll throung and brilliantly one timed it into the back of Sebastian Saja’s net. This goal broke the spirit of the 50-plus thousand people at the Olímpico in Porto Alegre. If his goal shut the coffin, his brace buried them. There was no fight in the Brazilians, there was more out of Pedro Pelaipe prior to the game than of that of the entire team.
For Boca this is their 17th international title, once again surpassing AC Milan, which could be their eventual opponent in the Intercontinental Cup in Japan in December.
Grêmio (0)- Sebastian Saja, Patricio, Teco, William, Lucio, Lucas, Gavilán, Diego Souza, Tcheco, Carlos, Carlos Eduardo
Boca Juniors (2)- Mauricio Caranta, Hugo Ibarra, Claudio Morel Rodríguez, Daniel Díaz, Clemente Rodríguez, Pablo Ledesma, Ever Banega, Neri Cardozo, Juan Román Riquelme, Rodrigo Palacio, Martín Palermo.
Goals- BOC: Riquelme (68’, 80’)
Yellows: GRE- Lucio, Diego Souza, Lucas; BOC- Ledesma
