Boca falls short against Bayern and faces Do-or-Die final matchday

Despite a passionate fanbase filling the stadium and a valiant second-half push, Miguel Ángel Russo’s team was outclassed by Bayern Munich, who took a deserved 2–1 win. With the result, Bayern secured their spot in the Round of 16, while Boca will have to play for survival in the final matchday of Group C at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Right from kickoff, Bayern took control. Vincent Kompany’s side dominated possession and forced Boca deep into their own half. The Germans thought they had an early lead in the 8th minute when Michael Olise scored directly from a corner—an olimpico—but after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín. Still, the pressure didn’t stop. A poor clearance from Boca fell kindly to Harry Kane in the box, and the English striker didn’t miss, slotting home with his left to score his first goal of the tournament.

The rest of the first half followed the same script: Bayern in control, Boca chasing shadows. Musiala created chances before being subbed off due to discomfort just 25 minutes after coming on, and Sané and Kimmich controlled the midfield rhythm. Boca’s first real chance didn’t come until the 30th minute, but they failed to truly test Neuer before the break.

After halftime, the momentum briefly swung. Boca found some rhythm, and in the 66th minute, captain Miguel Merentiel gave fans something to believe in. He broke free behind the backline, danced past Josip Stanišić, and slotted the ball past Neuer to make it 1–1. The Boca section erupted: drums, flags, flares, everything. For a moment, it felt like the upset was brewing.

But Bayern settled again and showed their class late. In the 76th minute, Olise—this time legally—got his goal, breaking the deadlock with a sharp finish from just outside the box. The Germans calmly saw out the remaining minutes, keeping Boca from mounting another comeback. A strong performance by Bayern, and now Boca must turn everything to their last group match against Auckland City if they want to stay alive in the tournament.