Boca hosts Vasco da Gama in Copa Sudamericana without captain Paredes

La Bombonera is gearing up for a night of continental semifinal soccer, and Boca arrives with an absence that looms large: that of Leandro Paredes, the team's captain and leader. This Tuesday, October 13, at 9:30 p.m. (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile time) and 7:30 p.m. (Colombia, Peru and Ecuador time), the Xeneize hosts Vasco da Gama in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal, airing on Disney+'s Premium Plan.

Without its most decisive player, Boca faces a demanding match. Playing at home helps, but building a clear lead for the return leg in Brazil won't be easy. Vasco, for its part, knows that Paredes' absence is a real opportunity to strike first and walk away from Boca's stadium with a favorable result.

Who could make the difference

The absence of the World Cup champion opens a door for Santiago Ascacibar, who has room to take on a bigger role in midfield. There's also space for Leonel Flores to keep showing the form he's carried both at Boca and with the national team. Up front, Miguel Merentiel remains an undeniable focal point, while Sebastian Villa could take advantage of a match that promises open space for quick players.

For Vasco, the name that carries the most weight is Santiago Sosa, who has become a key piece since arriving. He takes part in building play from the back, offers passing options and holds the structure together when the fullbacks push forward and the attackers break loose: his contribution blends ball recovery with the ability to keep the team organized. Alongside him is Alan Lescano, the Argentine midfielder who arrived from Argentinos Juniors in September and, unlike Colidio, was cleared to play in this semifinal, Colidio having been ruled out for regulatory reasons.

The road to this point

Boca knocked out Sao Paulo in the quarterfinals: it won 1-0 at La Bombonera and then drew 1-1 in Brazil to seal the series. In the domestic league, the team comes off a 2-2 draw against Instituto last Friday and remains in contention near the top of both the Torneo Clausura and the Tabla Anual.

Vasco, meanwhile, eliminated Independiente Santa Fe with a 0-0 draw in Colombia and a 2-0 win at Sao Januario, with goals from Bruno Duarte and David. That result sent Vasco back to a continental semifinal for the first time in 15 years. Under coach Pedro Emanuel, the Brazilian side comes off a 0-0 draw against Remo and has won seven of its last eleven matches, a stretch that points to a team that has found answers in recent weeks.

There's also a curious note for those with long memories: Boca and Vasco haven't met in continental competition in 25 years. It happened in the group stage of the 2001 Copa Mercosur, when the two sides drew 2-2 in both meetings, first in Brazil and then at La Bombonera. Neither team advanced that time around: Cerro Porteno and Universidad Catolica de Chile were the ones who moved on from that group.

With that distant precedent in the rearview, Tuesday opens a new chapter between the two clubs, with a place in the final on the line starting at La Bombonera.