Alan Velasco rescues Boca in a 2-2 draw with Newell’s

Boca Juniors drew 2-2 with Newell’s Old Boys after losing a second-half lead. Alan Velasco came from the bench and scored the final goal in the eighty-first minute.

Santiago Ascacíbar put Boca ahead before half-time. Matías Cóccaro and Luca Regiardo then turned the game around for Newell’s.

Boca controlled possession and scored first

Boca held the ball for longer periods from the opening minutes. Leandro Paredes helped the visitors move possession through midfield. Newell’s defended deeper and looked for quicker attacks. The home side accepted fewer passes if those moves could reach Cóccaro early. Boca opened the scoring after thirty minutes. Sebastián Villa provided the assist and Ascacíbar completed the move.

The goal matched Boca’s territorial control. The visitors kept Newell’s close to their own penalty area for much of the half. Lautaro Giannetti and Ayrton Costa received yellow cards before the interval. The warnings reflected the physical work around both penalty areas. Boca reached half-time with a narrow lead. Newell’s still remained close because the visitors had not created a second goal.

Newell’s changed the match in nine minutes

The home response began quickly after the restart. Facundo Guch created the chance and Cóccaro equalised in the fiftieth minute. Newell’s now attacked with greater confidence. Boca’s midfield lost some of its earlier control as the game became more direct. Regiardo received a yellow card after fifty-five minutes. Four minutes later, he scored the goal that put Newell’s ahead.

Lautaro Ríos supplied the assist. The move gave Newell’s two goals during a short and decisive spell. Boca had gone from leading to trailing without a long period to reset. The visitors needed more speed around the final third. Newell’s then replaced Cóccaro with Ignacio Ramírez. Ramírez became the central forward while the home side protected its lead.

Velasco changed Boca’s attack

Boca introduced Velasco for Villa in the seventy-sixth minute. The substitute immediately looked for space between the home midfield and defence. Velasco received a yellow card four minutes after entering. He answered one minute later with the equalising goal. Tomás Aranda provided the assist. Velasco finished the move and restored Boca’s position before the closing stages. The goal gave Boca a reward for continued attacking pressure. The visitors produced four shots on target and nine attempts off target. Newell’s scored from both of its accurate efforts. That efficiency allowed the home side to compete despite holding less possession. Boca continued searching for a winner after the equaliser. Newell’s defended the final deliveries and kept the score level.

Boca controlled sixty percent of possession and won seven corners. Newell’s produced fewer shots but used its best moments well. Ascacíbar’s goal gave the visitors the first advantage. The opening period suggested that Boca could manage the game through possession. Newell’s changed that picture with two direct attacks after half-time. Cóccaro and Regiardo punished the visitors before they recovered their shape. Velasco’s impact then saved Boca from defeat. His goal came only five minutes after he entered the match. Eleven minutes of added time followed, but neither side found another finish. Both teams kept one point after a match with three separate momentum changes. Boca recovered through Velasco’s late finish after a difficult second-half start. Newell’s converted both accurate efforts and protected the draw.

Velasco changed the final part of the match

Boca reached half-time in front after controlling possession. Newell’s then scored twice in nine minutes and forced the visitors to change their attack. Velasco replaced Villa with fourteen minutes remaining. He moved inside from the left and looked for short passes near the penalty area. Aranda found him during the next attack. Velasco completed the move and scored only five minutes after entering.

Newell’s still attacked after the equaliser. Boca kept enough players behind the ball and avoided another clear shot. Eleven added minutes extended the closing stage. Neither side produced the fifth goal despite several late deliveries. Velasco’s finish turned a likely defeat into a point. It did not remove the value of Newell’s quick response after half-time.

Newell’s used two accurate shots

Newell’s scored with both attempts that reached the target. Cóccaro finished the first, and Regiardo added the second four minutes later. Boca created more shots and corners but needed Velasco’s late finish. The visitors could not turn their wider possession into a winning goal.

Ascacíbar and Velasco scored during different periods of control. Newell’s placed its two goals between them during the strongest home spell. Both clubs left with one point. Boca led first, Newell’s moved ahead, and the substitute completed the scoring.