Alianza Lima made the most of their home advantage at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, playing the role of David to take down Goliath—or in this case, Boca Juniors. A goal from Uruguayan Pablo Ceppellini secured a 1-0 victory for the Peruvians, pulling off a shocker at the start of the Copa Libertadores.

A rough start for Boca

Fernando Gago's squad kicked off the match without organization or control of the ball, allowing the home side to take the initiative and feed off the energy of their fans from the get-go.

Just four minutes in, Alianza Lima took a throw-in that led to a cross. After a flurry of saves from Agustín Marchesín, Pablo Ceppellini pounced on the loose ball and smashed it into the net, sending the stadium into a frenzy.

Boca couldn't find a response in the second half

Despite Gago making changes right at the start of the second half—bringing on Zeballos and Giménez in the 46th minute—Boca Juniors couldn’t turn things around. Alianza Lima, meanwhile, dropped back and defended their lead, finishing the game with just 37% possession.

What’s next in the series?

With this result, Boca Juniors heads back to Argentina needing a comeback at La Bombonera. Meanwhile, Alianza Lima will travel to Buenos Aires with their sights set on advancing to the Third Round of the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores.