30/07/2026 19:10 - Deportes
This Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 9:30 PM Argentine time (8:30 PM local Chile time), the Estadio Codelco El Teniente in Rancagua, Chile, will host a tense showdown. Boca Juniors will take on O'Higgins in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana 2026 playoffs. With a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg at La Bombonera, the Xeneize are looking to seal their passage to the round of 16 of South America's second-tier club competition.
The match will be broadcast live on DSports and the streaming platform Disney+. It marks the fourth game of Rodolfo Arruabarrena's second stint as Boca's head coach.
The team from La Boca comes into this decisive match needing a quick rebound. Over the weekend, they suffered a harsh 3-0 defeat to Deportivo Riestra in the first round of the Argentine Torneo Clausura, a setback that left the squad emotionally bruised.
However, for the return leg in Chile, coach Arruabarrena will field his strongest lineup. Leandro Paredes, who was rested for the league match with this fixture in mind, returns to the midfield. Additionally, Sebastián Villa will start again—a promising sign for fans, as his last appearance in Chile with Boca (on May 3, 2023) was a standout performance. Club president Juan Román Riquelme traveled on the same day as the match to support the team at their hotel.
Managed by Argentine Lucas Bovaglio, the Chilean side arrives with inconsistent form in their domestic league, having lost 2-0 to Deportes Concepción. Nevertheless, they keep their cup hopes alive after a solid group stage where they finished second in Group C.
In the pre-match press conference, Bovaglio stated they won't sit back: This is not a game to see what happens; we have to make the effort. We will go for the match, try to be protagonists, and make Boca uncomfortable. He also revealed they have practiced penalty kicks in case the tie goes to a shootout. The coach also commented on the appointment of Colombian referee Wilmar Roldán, saying he is a referee who inspires confidence and lets the game flow, despite Boca's negative history with him.
| O'Higgins (Home) | Boca Juniors (Away) |
|---|---|
| Omar Carabalí | Álvaro Montero |
| Felipe Faúndez; Alan Robledo, Miguel Brizuela, Luis Pavez | Leandro Lozano; Nicolás Figal, Ayrton Costa, Lautaro Blanco |
| Felipe Ogaz, Juan Leiva, Bryan Rabello | Santiago Ascacibar, Leandro Paredes, Milton Delgado |
| Francisco González, Arnaldo Castillo, Martín Sarrafiore | Tomás Aranda; Sebastián Villa, Miguel Merentiel |
| Coach: Lucas Bovaglio | Coach: Rodolfo Arruabarrena |
The team that advances from this tie will face a Paraguayan side in the round of 16. Meanwhile, the domestic calendar doesn't stop: if Boca progresses, their next Torneo Clausura match is against Newell's Old Boys on August 2, followed by a postponed fixture against Estudiantes de La Plata on August 5.
O'Higgins, in the Chilean league, will face La Serena on August 2 and Limache on August 9.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
