Boca Juniors leapfrogged rival Buenos Aires club River Plate on the final day of the season to win the Superliga Argentina, with Carlos Tevez providing the title-winning goal.
River Plate came into the day in first place on 46 points, with Boca Juniors a point back at 45. River Plate was wrestled to a 1-1 draw on the road at 14th placed Atletico Tucuman, held scoreless in the second half. That gave Boca a way through, and at home against 19th placed Gimnasia, Carlos Tevez scored the game’s only goal to see the hosts jump River Plate in the standings and win the title.
The goal was an absolute howitzer from the top of the box that Tevez smashed so hard that Gimnasia goalkeeper Jorge Broun got a hand to but still couldn’t keep out. The build-up play was quality as well, with Sebastian Villa shrugging off a physical challenge from a defender and substitute Ramon Abila sliding to deliver the parallel assist.
Aquí se definió todo, un gol mágico de Carlitos Tévez que volvió para ser campeón y rechazó los euros de la Juve. Un premio para él.
El fútbol es el deporte más hermoso y Boca de los más grandes.@BocaJrsOficial CAMPEÓN pic.twitter.com/obnTlANOQE
— Jhon Jairo Tréllez (@JJTrellezV) March 8, 2020
Boca had been in second since early December, dropping out of the top spot thanks to a three-match winless run. But they finished the season on a six-match winning streak, refusing to concede a single goal for the final five matches of the campaign – a 460-minute goalless streak to help secure the crown. River Plate bagged a five-match winning streak starting with the turn of the calendar year, but ended the season with a pair of 1-1 draws against Defensa and Tucuman.
The title is Boca’s 34th in club history and sees them return to the top slot after a year off, having finished third last season behind title-winners Racing and second-placed Defensa.
The Argentine top-flight features a single round-robin season with its 23-team league that carries through early March, with its Copa de la Superliga to follow and carry the campaign through the end of May. Boca finished second in last year’s Copa, falling to Tigres in the final.
Tevez was also on the field for Manchester City’s final-day title victory when they defeated QPR 3-2 in 2012 on Sergio Aguero’s incredibly late goal.
