Boca beats River at the Monumental with a Paredes penalty

A penalty converted by Leandro Paredes once again tipped the scales for Boca Juniors in the match no Argentine fan ever misses. The Xeneize took the Superclasico played on April 19, 2026 at the Monumental, for matchday 15 of the 2026 Torneo Apertura, with a tight 1-0 that let them come away with the win in River's own backyard.

The game was not overflowing with chances, but one moment was enough: Paredes stepped up from the spot and made no mistake. A goal that carries extra weight when it comes at the Monumental, and one that handed Boca a victory that goes straight into the recent history of this eternal rivalry.

Because if there is one thing that defines the Superclasico in recent years, it is that it never follows the same script twice. To find the most recent precedent you have to go back to the 2025 Torneo Clausura, also in matchday 15, when Boca again took all three points, this time by 2-0 and on home turf. That afternoon at La Bombonera, it was Exequiel "Changuito" Zeballos and Miguel Merentiel who made the difference.

A history that gives no rest

Before that run of Boca wins, River had had its own say. In the 2025 Apertura, the Millonario won 2-1 at the Monumental in a back and forth match: Franco Mastantuono opened the scoring with a free kick that will be remembered for a long time, Merentiel equalized for Boca, but Sebastian Driussi ultimately gave the home side the win.

Further back, on September 21, 2024, it was River who celebrated in La Boca with a 1-0 thanks to a goal from Manuel Lanzini, on the team then coached by Marcelo Gallardo.

That same 2024 also produced a spicy chapter in the Cup: in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa de la Liga, played at the Mario Kempes stadium in Cordoba, Boca knocked River out with a 3-2 win that saw Merentiel score twice and Cavani add the third, while Borja and Paulo Diaz tried to spark a comeback for the Millonario without any luck.

And there is still another precedent from that year: on February 25, 2024, at the Monumental, the clash ended 1-1. River, then coached by Martin Demichelis, had taken the lead with a goal from Pablo Solari, but Cristian Medina equalized for Diego Martinez's Boca.

Looking back at these recent meetings makes one thing clear: the Superclasico has no fixed owner. Every edition brings its own hero, its own controversy, and, as just happened with Paredes's penalty, its own unexpected ending.