Boca Juniors beat Talleres de Córdoba 2-0 in the round of 16 of the Torneo Clausura 2025 at La Bombonera, thanks to a brace from Miguel Merentiel. Claudio Úbeda's team overcame a tough start and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they will face Argentinos Juniors at home. The match featured a penalty save by Agustín Marchesín and a tribute to Talleres coach Carlos Tevez.
The match at La Bombonera started with Talleres dominating, generating five shots in the first five minutes, including a clear chance from Juan Camilo Portilla in the 1st minute. Boca leveled the play and opened the scoring at the 28th minute: after a corner from Leandro Paredes, Lautaro Di Lollo headed against the crossbar and Merentiel tapped in the rebound for 1-0.
Before halftime, Talleres had a golden opportunity at the 44th minute when Pablo Dóvalo awarded a penalty for Exequiel Zeballos' handball. Mateo Cáceres took it, but Marchesín dove to save it, preserving the lead. Early in the second half, a Talleres error led to a perfect cross from Lautaro Blanco, which Merentiel finished for 2-0, completing his brace.
Claudio Úbeda revealed the second goal was planned: “We talked about it before in the locker room.” This win marks Boca's fifth consecutive victory, the third by 2-0. Carlos Tevez, Talleres' coach, received a tribute from Boca's board and was cheered by fans. Social media exploded with memes and reactions from supporters. Boca will face Argentinos Juniors in the quarterfinals, again at La Bombonera, aiming for the title.
Singer Marco Antonio Solís visited the stadium, posed with Juan Román Riquelme, and was highlighted by the club on social media as a lucky charm for the team.
