Boston River and Bahia played to a 0-0 draw this Thursday at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo in the first leg of the third phase of the Copa Libertadores, leaving all the suspense for next week's decisive match in Salvador, Brazil.

Jean Lucas, the Most Dangerous Man on the Field

In the first half, team captain Éverton Ribeiro set up Jean Lucas, who came close to opening the scoring with a header. However, his attempt sailed over the crossbar as the Boston River defenders watched helplessly.

Moments later, Jean Lucas had another golden opportunity, this time with a powerful right-footed shot from long range, but goalkeeper Bruno Antúnez made a spectacular save to keep the score level.

A Controversial Offside Call

On the other side of the field, Boston River struggled to generate attacking plays, and when they finally managed to put the ball in the net, the goal was disallowed. Baltasar Barcia thought he had given his team the lead, but the referee ruled Valentín Adamo offside in the buildup, silencing the celebrations at the historic stadium, which hosted the first-ever World Cup in 1930.

With the 0-0 draw, Rogerio Ceni's squad—led by the legendary former goalkeeper who holds the record for most goals scored by a keeper in history—will look to seal their qualification at home next week.

The second leg will take place on March 13 at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador. Before that, Bahia will aim to reach the final of the Torneo Baiano, needing to overcome a 2-1 aggregate deficit against Jacuipense. Meanwhile, Boston River will visit Progreso for the fourth round of the Uruguayan Torneo Apertura, still searching for their first win after two draws and two losses.