Boca and Benfica served chaos and excitement in a 2–2 draw. Boca stormed ahead 2–0 thanks to Merentiel (21′) and Battaglia (27′), both clinical finishes from set-piece setups. However, that was not enough to defeat the Portuguese team, who played their last games with Angel Di Maria on their roster.
After 20 minutes of Portuguese dominance, it was Boca who struck first. Midfielder Carlos Palacios rose to win a long goal kick, setting up left-back Lautaro Blanco in space as Florentino scrambled back out of position. Blanco slid the ball through the Benfica midfielder’s legs with a clean nutmeg, then fired a low left-footed cross toward the near post, where Miguel Merentiel finished with a sharp flick to put Boca ahead.
Just six minutes later, with Boca’s traveling supporters roaring in the stands, the Argentinians doubled their lead from a corner. Center-back Ayrton Costa rose highest at the far post, nodding the ball back across goal. Rodrigo Battaglia met it at the near post, leaping above his marker to head it in and make it 2–0.
Right before the break, VAR intervened: a foul by Carlos Palacios on Nicolás Otamendi in the box gave Benfica a penalty. Ángel Di María stepped up and coolly slotted it home, sending the keeper the wrong way. It was a lifeline for the Portuguese side and a special moment in Di María’s final tournament with the club.
In the second half, Benfica brought on veteran striker Andrea Belotti in search of a spark. But it quickly turned disastrous—Belotti saw red for a reckless high boot that caught Costa in the head. Down to ten, Benfica looked in trouble. Then came Otamendi’s redemption arc. The captain snuck in unmarked on a corner and powered a header past the keeper to level the match at 2–2.
As the clock wound down, Boca’s Nicolás Figal was also shown red, reducing them to ten in the dying minutes. Neither side could find a winner, and the final whistle left both teams walking a tightrope heading into their next group games.
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