["Fernando Belmonteeee!"]
The match had barely started when River Plate attempted seven shots in rapid succession, threatening Boca Juniors' goal.
["Belmonte's shot goes over the crossbar! Another missed opportunity for River Plate! Although it didn't result in a goal, their momentum is undeniable!"]
Boca Juniors' defense wasn't functioning as it should.
Despite Ernesto Guerra leading the defensive line, the players seemed out of sync, leaving gaps in the backline repeatedly.
"Semino! What's going on?"
The most vulnerable area was the right flank, which had already been penetrated three times, creating dangerous opportunities for River Plate.
"Sorry, my timing was off."
"Don't lose him again. You know better than anyone how fast that guy is."
"I won't next time."
River Plate continued exploiting the open spaces, intercepting Boca's attacks and moving the ball swiftly to Santiago Medina.
With a glance, Medina executed a one-touch pass, sending the ball to the right flank once more.
["Ahhh! The ball's on the left wing again! Jeremias Almada keeps it from going out of bounds!"]
["What a player! He missed the last Superclásico due to ligament issues, but he's definitely one to watch for the future!"]
Tap!
Almada secured the ball and prepared to sprint forward when a foot suddenly intercepted him from behind.
'What?'
He had checked his surroundings moments ago and hadn't seen anyone close enough to apply pressure.
Swipe!
Yet there it was—a perfectly timed sliding tackle that sent the ball out of bounds.
'Whose foot was that?'
Turning to look, Almada saw the player responsible: Yoo Ji-woo.
'He closed that gap so fast?'
In a burst of speed, Yoo had covered the distance and cleanly executed the sliding tackle to deny Almada's advance.
["What explosive speed! Yoo Ji-woo is faster without the ball than he is with it! He covered an incredible distance in no time to make that defensive play!"]
Despite being known for his attacking flair and goals, Ji-woo's defensive abilities were equally remarkable. His stamina and wide coverage allowed him to excel on both ends of the pitch.
Sebastián Lancel grinned at the sight.
'Every time I see him play, I'm amazed by the beauty of it.'
Before the match, Lancel had specifically instructed Ji-woo to assist defensively.
"River will focus on attacking the flanks relentlessly. You need to provide solid defensive support."
Ji-woo executed the instructions perfectly, impressing his coach even further.
In River Plate's home stadium, El Monumental, Ji-woo stood out, undeterred by the intimidating atmosphere.
Rustle!
Throwing himself into tackles, he showcased his fighting spirit, even as River Plate fans showered him with insults.
"XXXXX!"
Having faced similar abuse in the Copa Sudamericana semifinals, Ji-woo didn't let it faze him. Instead, he playfully cupped his ear as if inviting them to shout louder.
---
In the Boca Juniors supporter section, Yoo Han-woo and restaurant staff watched the game nervously.
Daniel filmed the match with his camera, live-streaming it on YouTube.
– "How is that not a foul?"
– "Wow, the booing when Ji-woo gets the ball is intense."
– "Isn't this too harsh on a young player?"
– "So this is South American football. Heard it was rough, but seeing it live is something else."
The number of viewers kept climbing.
"Ji-woo's under heavy pressure," Julia said, concerned.
"Well, my son is the ace, so of course!" Yoo Han-woo replied proudly.
"Sure, sure. But at least engage with the viewers! They're commenting, and I don't speak Korean to respond."
"Oh, right!"
Han-woo glanced at the comments.
– "Wow, Ji-woo's speed is unreal!"
"My son is fast, isn't he? If he had pursued track and field, he'd have broken Olympic records. Hahaha!"
– "How does he sprint like that from the front to the back without tiring? His stamina is insane!"
"That's my boy! His grit and determination are all from me!"
– "Chef, you're so handsome!"
"Haha, thank you! My son is just as handsome as me!"
At that moment, Ángel Moliya made a precise pass, allowing Ji-woo to break through River Plate's defense.
"Go! Go! Gooo!"
Ji-woo stretched his leg to secure the ball and took a shot before defenders could close in.
Thud!
The ball rattled the side netting, leaving fans disappointed.
– "Ahhh, so close!"
– "Look at that burst of speed! Insane!"
– "He'd be the ace if he joined the national team!"
The live-stream's viewership soared from 10,000 to over 20,000.
---
The second half began after a scoreless first half.
["Boca Juniors 0 – 0 River Plate"]
The tension remained as the teams battled for control.
River Plate held 60% possession but couldn't capitalize, while Boca's defensive resilience grew stronger.
Thud!
["A rough tackle from Javier Casero on Santiago Medina! But the referee allows play to continue!"]
["The ball rolls to Julián Martínez, who quickly passes it to Ángel Moliya!"]
Moliya skillfully evaded a defender with La Croqueta and sent a sharp pass forward.
Boom!
The ball flew toward the front line but was intercepted by Manuel Galán, halting the attack.
The back-and-forth battle continued until the 63rd minute.
Javier Casero, under pressure, lost possession to Medina, sparking a River Plate counterattack. The ball was sent to the left wing, where Fernando Belmonte's shot deflected off the goalkeeper and went out for a corner.
["Ernesto Guerra's timely intervention disrupted Belmonte's shot!"]
["But the danger isn't over! River Plate is lethal from set pieces. Boca must defend carefully here!"]
As players marked their opponents, Santiago Medina prepared for the corner kick, signaling to his teammates before launching the ball into the box.
Whoosh!
The players were crowded in one area.
From the cluster, one player suddenly burst forward.
"Damn it!"
It was Fernando Belmont, breaking through Ernesto Guerra's tight marking and leaping into the air.
Thud!
The ball struck his forehead as he angled his head sharply, sending it toward the bottom-left corner of Boca Juniors' goal.
Swoosh.
Perfect timing.
Perfect placement.
Perfect finish.
With overwhelming physicality, Belmont dominated his opponent, heading the ball in like a tyrant asserting his rule.
[Goal! River Plate's finisher, Fernando Belmont, scores with a powerful header! River Plate takes the lead, breaking the deadlock!]
[The roar of River Plate fans fills El Monumental as they celebrate, washing away the bitterness of two consecutive losses!]
The home fans, frustrated by past defeats in the Copa Sudamericana, finally erupted in jubilation.
---
After conceding the goal, River Plate's aggression only intensified.
Tweet!
They didn't hesitate to commit fouls, particularly against Yoo Jiwoo. Knowing they couldn't stop him cleanly, they resorted to tactical fouls before he could even initiate a dribble.
[River Plate is doubling down on their physicality to contain Yoo Jiwoo.]
[They've learned their lesson from the last two matches. Giving Yoo space will only close the score gap.]
"Foul if you can't stop him! Don't give him an inch of space!"
Despite being outpaced, Thiago Morales stuck close to Yoo like a shadow, cleverly cutting off his paths.
Yoo also faced relentless pressure whenever he tried to drop back to receive the ball. Jeremias Almada and Leandro Alvarez quickly closed in, applying suffocating pressure from both sides.
[River Plate's defensive setup is excellent. Thiago Morales, Jeremias Almada, and Leandro Alvarez are all working in tandem to block Yoo Jiwoo's movements.]
[How will Yoo overcome this tight marking?]
With the score at 1–0, River Plate couldn't afford to relax. They meticulously tightened their defense, leaving Boca Juniors no gaps to exploit.
However, opportunities could still be created, and if anyone could do it, it was Yoo Jiwoo.
---
[Semino sends a long pass down the line! But Leandro Alvarez is already closing in on Yoo!]
Before receiving the ball, Yoo flicked it into the air with an outstretched foot, then backheeled it as he spun around.
The airborne ball soared over Alvarez's head.
Grab.
Desperate to stop him, Alvarez clutched Yoo's jersey to unbalance him, but Yoo powered through, dragging Alvarez briefly before he released his grip.
The referee allowed play to continue with an advantage call.
With the ball at his feet, Yoo dashed forward, facing Thiago Morales.
'If he goes left, he'll dribble; if he goes right, he'll cross.'
Swoosh.
Yoo used the outside of his right foot to feint a cross. Morales bit the bait, preparing for contact.
But then—
Tap!
With a sudden change of direction using the "flip-flap" technique, Yoo darted left. Morales, caught in the wrong motion, fell backward, landing on his rear.
[Ooooh! Yoo Jiwoo takes down Thiago Morales with a brilliant flip-flap and drives into the center! But Manuel Galan quickly closes in!]
[Yoo fakes a shot… no! It's a no-look pass!]
Yoo's fluid no-look pass sent the ball rolling toward Ángel Molilla, who sprinted to intercept.
Out of sync, Molilla's body leaned forward while the ball trailed behind him. Losing balance, it seemed like the chance was slipping away.
"Grrrrrrr!"
Letting out an odd battle cry, Molilla launched a desperate shot.
Thwack!
The ball deflected off his foot at an awkward angle but ricocheted off his face, changing direction before landing in the net.
If not for the face deflection, it would have missed entirely. The result? A lucky, almost comical goal.
[Ángel Molillaaaaa! He finds the back of the net for Boca Juniors!]
[With that, it's 1–1! The game is tied again. Which club will emerge victorious and claim the top spot in the league?]
Molilla quickly stood up and began celebrating enthusiastically. Yoo approached him, grinning.
"Scoring and assisting yourself—is that fun?"
Although the assist was officially credited to Yoo, Molilla had essentially done it all by himself, leading Yoo to tease him.
Molilla, unbothered, put his hands on his hips and declared proudly, "That's a skill I picked up at Real Madrid! I'll teach you sometime!"
"You've got blood on your face," Yoo pointed out.
"...Blood?"
"Right here."
"This? No, no, that's just sweat! My sweat has… unique properties. Yeah, that's it! Hahaha!"
A light trickle of blood dripped from his lip, where the ball had struck.
"Embarrassed?" Yoo asked bluntly, making the surrounding players laugh as they tried to stifle their amusement.
Turning bright red, Molilla shouted, "No way! I meant to do that, okay?"
"Sure, if you say so."
"It's true! It's true! It's true! True! True! True!"