Alianza Lima secured a 1-0 victory over Boca Juniors on Tuesday in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores Phase 2, with an early goal from Uruguayan midfielder Pablo Ceppelini igniting celebrations at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, known as Matute.

The Goal That Sealed Boca Juniors’ Defeat

Just four minutes into the match, Ceppelini capitalized on a rebound from goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín after a play by Peruvian defender Erick Noriega, sending the ball into the net. The goal stunned Boca and gave Alianza a crucial advantage heading into the return leg at La Bombonera.

Minutes later, the game was briefly halted after Peruvian forward Kevin Quevedo suffered a hip injury and had to be stretchered off.

Boca Juniors Struggles Without Key Players

Throughout the first half, Alianza Lima posed a greater attacking threat, with Hernán Barcos and Eryc Castillo coming close to extending the lead. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors struggled to create scoring chances, feeling the absence of key players like Edinson Cavani, Marcos Rojo, Luis Advíncula, and Ander Herrera.

In the second half, Boca showed slight improvement but failed to generate clear goal-scoring opportunities. One of the few bright spots for the Argentine side was goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín, who made a crucial save in the 55th minute to deny a powerful shot from Alianza’s Argentine forward, Alan Cantero.

The match grew tense as both teams fought for control, resulting in multiple yellow cards.

Boca Faces a Must-Win Clash at La Bombonera

Alianza Lima, which previously eliminated Paraguay’s Nacional, also dealt with key absences, including forwards Pablo Lavandeira and Paolo Guerrero.

With this defeat, Boca Juniors now faces the challenge of winning by at least two goals in the return leg on Tuesday, February 25, at La Bombonera to keep their Copa Libertadores hopes alive.