Boca Juniors hosts Vasco da Gama in Copa Sudamericana semifinal first leg

Boca Juniors and Vasco da Gama meet on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires for the opening match of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal. Kickoff is at 21:30 local time (19:30 Colombia time), with the second leg scheduled for 20 October. Referee Piero Maza of Chile will oversee the match.

Boca arrives in strong form, having compiled a 17-match unbeaten run—their best streak since Juan Román Riquelme became club president—but faces a significant personnel challenge. Captain and midfielder Leandro Paredes suffered a thigh strain in Boca's last outing, a 2–2 draw with Instituto, and will miss the entire semifinal series. Coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena responded by adjusting the midfield: Ecuador forward Enner Valencia replaces regular striker Miguel Merentiel in the starting lineup, while Williams Alarcón or Carlos Palacios fills Paredes' midfield position. Boca also reported additional absences due to injury: Marchesín, Tomás Aranda, Tomás Belmonte, Bareiro, and Velasco.

Vasco da Gama finished second in Group G of the South American phase and eliminated Olimpia (Paraguay) and Independiente Medellín (Colombia) to reach the semifinals. The Brazilian club enters the match in a more precarious domestic position, occupying 14th place in the Brasileirão and sitting only three points above the relegation zone. Vasco's squad includes Argentine players Santiago Sosa, Alan Lescano, and Claudio Spinelli; forward Facundo Colidio is ineligible because he already participated in this edition of the tournament with River Plate. Coach Pedro Emanuel reported absences from injury (Cuesta, Spinelli, Barros) and Mateus Carvalho, who is in physical transition.

Boca qualified for the Copa Sudamericana after finishing third in its Libertadores group, behind Universidad Católica and Cruzeiro. The Argentine side then defeated O'Higgins (Chile), Recoleta (Paraguay), and São Paulo en route to the semifinals. Vasco drew 0–0 with Remo in its final Brasileirão match before traveling to Argentina. The winner of the two-leg tie advances to the Copa Sudamericana final.

The match will be broadcast live on beIN SPORTS (United States), ESPN, Disney+ (Latin America), SBT, and Paramount+. Arruabarrena stressed the importance of securing a positive result at home before travelling to Brazil for the return leg, while acknowledging Vasco as a formidable opponent.