These are issues of the shield, the weight of the shirt, the mysterious. This is belief or bust: Boca and penalty again. This time, with more spice because Racing played better and above all deserved to prevail in 90 minutes. But he failed in definitions and paid dearly: he said goodbye to the League Cup unbeaten in 16 games. And Boca, without a goal kick in the semi, will play in the final against the Argentinos or Tigers.

Thus, the decisive rivalry was reached by a team that played well in the quarterfinals against Defense and Justice and not much else. Along the way, on the contrary, the show remained the highest level throughout the semester and the never lost in domestic competition.

Racing and Boca, their players, Fernando Gago and Sebastián Battaglia, gave up the semi-finals of this League Cup for eternity. All the coaches in the world, both club and selected, will have the essential material at their fingertips. When you want to explain how the final was played, it’s enough to show what Racing has accomplished. Otherwise, when you want to gauge how a major duel wasn’t played, Boca will be reviewed. The Academy was a steamroller, which took the rival and reduced it to the lowest expression. But he wasn’t effective and he didn’t take advantage of any of the eight clean situations he created. So he went to halftime at zero. Just like poor Boca.

Within two minutes, Matías Rojas, the ideal Paraguayan where Racing fans demand more attitude, recovered the two balls by hitting Frank Fabra high. This is the introductory letter of a Race that doesn’t go down a moment throughout the 45 minutes. He was greedy in recovery and patient in handling the ball; he cunningly presses and cleverly moves and finds gaps. This is not an exaggeration: the Academy did everything right in the initial stages. Other than the purpose, a detail for no minor.

The eight obvious situations are caused by associated play, ball stopping or recovery. Gago’s team presented the entire repertoire. The clearest was Sigali’s header that went to Rossi’s left post (9 minutes), a free kick that hit Chancalay’s post (20 minutes), a one-on-one that was wasted by the winger himself (28) and a header by Javier Correa on the lone goal due to Rossi’s bad start that went over the crossbar (40).

To understand how Racing is played conveniently put the magnifying glass Enzo Copetti. The shortcomings it has in the method are given to the soul. Racing striker must be the footballer with the biggest heart in Argentine football. Another, he was handsome and naughty. Within minutes he had booked Marcos Rojo and Carlos Zambrano.

If you want to be merciful, it would be convenient to ignore Boca’s first half. It is understood that Sebastián Villa played his head elsewhere. But it so happened that the whole team was in a different tone. Not only did he not kick the goal, but he lost in every split. He let the rival bully him.

The first stage ended with that feeling The race forgave Boca.

Imagine the fatigue the Academy showed in the complement as it played at a very high level at first. It’s also true that he lost pressure with Javier Correa as center forward (he entered for the injured Matías Rojas) and Copetti as a winger. Perhaps he should refresh the Gago team because the midfielders look tired. He just put Cardona at the end, so he kicked a penalty.

Avellaneda’s team held the ball, but it was hard for them to find the filtered pass in the final meters. He has situations, though nothing is clear. He was barely bothered by a deviated header from Alcaraz and a half turn from Correa.

Boca was planted better with the earnings of Carlos Izquierdoz and Cristian Medina. One piece of information perfectly painted the game of Battaglia’s commands: Frank Fabra reached the bottom in the first and only time in the 37th minute. Yes, Boca spent another game without kicking the goal. And he went through penalties, perhaps the only good news he had on Lanús afternoon.

In definitions The mouth is enlarged. Recent history puts him in the place of the winner, the invincible. Agustín Rossi rescued one from the Copetti and Insúa diverted the other; for Boca it was only Salvio who made a mistake.

All until Alan Varela stood in front of the ball, perhaps the only standout in the game. And he gently placed it on Gómez’s left post, dropping himself on one. And Boca, always Boca, came out to celebrate with force, the team that is easier to win than to play well.