Cruzeiro held on with ten men for over half an hour
Em uma das arenas mais intimidadoras do futebol sul-americano, o Cruzeiro demonstrou que resistência coletiva pode valer tanto quanto talento individual. Com dez jogadores por mais de meia hora, o clube mineiro segurou o empate em 1 a 1 contra o Boca Juniors na Bombonera, transformando um resultado modesto em algo que ressoa como afirmação de caráter. O gol de Fagner, o primeiro do Cruzeiro na competição em mais de cinco anos, e a anulação pelo VAR de um gol argentino nos acréscimos compõem uma noite que a torcida celeste dificilmente esquecerá.
- Com a expulsão de Gerson aos 55 minutos, o Cruzeiro foi obrigado a defender sua igualdade recém-conquistada com um jogador a menos por mais de meia hora em campo hostil.
- O gol de Merentiel colocou o Boca na frente, mas Fagner respondeu com um gol histórico — o primeiro do Cruzeiro na Libertadores em mais de cinco anos — virando o jogo emocional da partida.
- Aos 89 minutos, a Bombonera explodiu com um gol do Boca que parecia selar a vitória, mas o VAR identificou toque de mão de Milton Delgado e anulou o lance, salvando o empate cruzeirense.
- O ponto conquistado em Buenos Aires leva o Cruzeiro provisoriamente à liderança do Grupo D com oito pontos, à frente de Boca e Universidad Católica, ambos com sete.
- Na última rodada, o Cruzeiro depende apenas de si mesmo: uma vitória em casa contra o Barcelona no Mineirão garante a classificação para as oitavas de final.
O Cruzeiro saiu da Bombonera com um ponto que pesou como três. Na noite de terça-feira, em Buenos Aires, o clube brasileiro segurou o Boca Juniors no empate por 1 a 1 em um dos estádios mais hostis do continente — e fez isso com dez jogadores por mais de meia hora, após a expulsão do meia Gerson por falta dura em Leandro Paredes, aos 55 minutos.
Antes do cartão vermelho, a partida já carregava seu próprio drama. Merentiel, ex-Palmeiras, abriu o placar para o Boca no primeiro tempo. Fagner respondeu pelo Cruzeiro com um gol que encerrou um jejum de mais de cinco anos do clube na competição — e que chegou apenas alguns minutos antes da expulsão que tornaria tudo mais difícil.
Aos 89 minutos, com o Cruzeiro esticado na defesa, o Boca marcou e a Bombonera explodiu. Mas o árbitro Jesús Valenzuela foi chamado ao monitor do VAR, que flagrou toque de mão de Milton Delgado no lance. O gol foi anulado. O empate foi mantido.
Com o resultado, o Cruzeiro assume provisoriamente a liderança do Grupo D com oito pontos. Boca e Universidad Católica aparecem logo atrás, com sete cada, e o grupo ainda pode ser embaralhado antes da rodada final. Para o clube mineiro, o caminho é direto: uma vitória em casa contra o Barcelona, no Mineirão, garante a classificação — e possivelmente a primeira colocação.
Cruzeiro left La Bombonera with a point that felt like a victory. On Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, the Brazilian club held Boca Juniors to a 1-1 draw in one of South America's most hostile stadiums, but the real story was what happened after the 55th minute, when midfielder Gerson received a red card for a hard tackle on Leandro Paredes. From that moment forward, Cruzeiro would defend with ten men for more than half an hour.
The match had already turned dramatic before the expulsion. Boca's Merentiel, a former Palmeiras player, put the home side ahead in the first half. Then Fagner equalized for Cruzeiro, breaking a silence that had lasted more than five years—the last time the club had scored in this competition. The goal came roughly ten minutes before Gerson's dismissal, which meant Cruzeiro would spend the remainder of the match fighting to preserve what they had just earned.
In the 89th minute, with Cruzeiro stretched thin across the back line, Boca thought they had found the winning goal. The ball crossed the line. The stadium erupted. But referee Jesús Valenzuela was called to the VAR monitor, where officials discovered that Milton Delgado had handled the ball in the buildup. The goal was erased. Cruzeiro held on.
The draw moves the Minas Gerais club provisionally to the top of Group D with eight points. Boca sits second with seven. But the group remains unsettled. Universidad Católica also has seven points and plays on Thursday against Barcelona de Guayaquil, a result that could shuffle the standings before the final round.
For Cruzeiro, the path forward is clear and manageable. In the last matchday, they host Barcelona at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte. A win there secures their place in the knockout stage. They will depend only on themselves. Boca, meanwhile, returns home to face Universidad Católica in a direct battle for the other qualifying spot. Depending on how results fall across the group, Cruzeiro could advance not just to the next round, but as group winners.
Notable Quotes
Fagner's goal ended Cruzeiro's drought of more than five years without scoring in the Libertadores— Match summary
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a draw in Buenos Aires matter so much for Cruzeiro's campaign?
Because they did it with ten men for over half the match. In a competition like the Libertadores, where margins are razor-thin, holding a draw at La Bombonera—one of the most difficult places to play in South America—while defending a numerical disadvantage is the kind of result that builds momentum and belief.
The VAR decision to disallow Boca's goal—was that controversial?
Not really. It was a clear handball in the buildup. The question is whether Cruzeiro would have survived without it. They were vulnerable in those final minutes, stretched thin. The VAR saved them from a loss they might not have recovered from.
Fagner's goal broke a five-year drought. What does that tell you about Cruzeiro's season?
That they've been struggling to score in this competition for a long time. One goal in five years is not just a statistical oddity—it suggests deeper problems with finishing and rhythm. Breaking that streak, even in a match where they'd soon be down to ten men, matters psychologically.
So the final match against Barcelona is essentially a knockout game for them?
Exactly. They control their own destiny. Win at home and they're through. It's the cleanest possible scenario for a team that just showed they can survive adversity.
What about Boca? Are they in trouble?
Not yet. They still have a chance against Universidad Católica at home. But they had a goal taken away and they couldn't break down a team playing with a man down. That's the kind of night that haunts you in a tight group.