Boca Juniors face Banfield in the Copa Argentina semi-finals on Saturday, 14 November, at 19:00 local time at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza. Nazareno Arasa will referee the match. A win would put Boca into the final, where they could add a fourth title to their Copa Argentina haul this year.
A season of possible silverware
Boca have already ended a long trophy drought by winning the 2026 Tabla Anual, and they are pushing for more before the year is out. The Copa Argentina is one of four trophies the club could still win in 2026. They are also in the final of the Copa Sudamericana against Atlético Mineiro of Brazil, and they are in the last 16 of the Torneo Clausura. If they win that tournament, they would qualify for the Trofeo de Campeones against Belgrano of Córdoba, the Apertura winners.
Comeback against Racing
Boca’s route to the semi-finals has included some narrow escapes. Coached by Rodolfo Arruabarrena, they came close to elimination by Racing in the quarter-finals, trailing 2-0 after a sublime overhead goal from Gastón Lodico and a strike from Adrián ‘Maravilla’ Martínez. Enner Valencia came off the bench and turned the tie around with three headers in a short spell.
Earlier in the competition, Boca beat Gimnasia de Chivilcoy 2-0 in the first round and Sarmiento de Junín 2-0 in the second. In the round of 16 they needed a penalty shootout to beat Vélez Sarsfield 4-3 after a goalless draw.
Banfield’s journey
Banfield were the first side to reach the semi-finals. They beat Deportivo Riestra on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Pedro Troglio’s team currently sit outside the Clausura playoff places, but they will be looking to spoil the party against what is, for now, the best side in Argentina.
What comes next
If Boca get past Banfield, they will face Platense in the final. Platense knocked out Atlético Tucumán on penalties, winning 5-4 after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Record holders
Boca are the most successful club in the competition’s history, with four titles, won in 1969, 2012, 2015 and 2020. River Plate are next with three, from 2016, 2017 and 2019. Arsenal, Huracán, Rosario Central, Patronato, Estudiantes de La Plata, Central Córdoba and Independiente Rivadavia, the most recent champions, have one title each.
Source: www.lanacion.com.ar
