Estudiantes – Boca Juniors: Estudiantes Battle It Out In A Tight Contest (2-1)

Estudiantes didn’t win this match by controlling possession or slowing the tempo — they won it by refusing to let Boca Juniors breathe. From the opening minutes, Eduardo Domínguez’s side imposed an aggressive, confrontational rhythm, using intensity, second-ball dominance and well-prepared set-piece routines to tilt the game in their favour. Two first-half goals gave them an early platform, but rather than retreating, Estudiantes continued to play on the front foot, trusting their structure to absorb pressure and strike again. Boca’s late tactical adjustments offered a route back into the contest, yet Estudiantes’ organisation and discipline ultimately proved decisive in a match shaped by duels, transitions, and fine margins.

Tactical analysis and match report by Ebuka Ogoegbunam.

Both coaches set up their teams with the intent to attack when they had the ball. Boca Juniors’ 4-3-3 had Agustín Marchesin in goal, with a back four consisting of Juan Barinaga, Lautaro Di Lollo, Ayrton Costa, and Lautaro Blanco. The midfield trio of Tomás Belmonte, Leandro Paredes, and Williams Alarcón started alongside each other. Ezequiel Zeballos, Iker Zufiaurre, and Kevin Zenón led the line upfront.

Eduardo Dominguez’s 4-2-3-1 gave his team a fluid attacking structure. Fabricio Iacovich started in goal. He was protected by a back line of Eric Meza, Leandro Gonzalez, Santiago Núez, and Gastón Benedetti. Ezequiel Piovi and Mikel Amondarian started in midfield, with Cristian Medina slightly ahead of them. Fabricio Pérez, Joaquín Burgos, and Guido Carrillo were the front three.

Setting The Tempo Early

The first minutes of the game brought intensity and a clear intent from both teams. Estudiantes had a very direct approach to attack and manipulate the back-line. They were very aggressive from goal kicks and their structure aided easier execution. Burgos dropped into the midfield during build-up with Medina and Fabricio moving higher up into a narrow position.

Carrillo, Fabricio, Medina attacked the last line when their goalie went long on multiple occasions. This meant second balls were very important in swinging momentum to either team. Boca Juniors implemented a 4-5-1 press, which often changed to a 4-4-2 man-to-man press with pressing triggers.

Zenon and Zeballos tracked the opposition fullbacks while the midfielders were often used as pressing triggers on the ball side. Belmonte or Alacron often joined Zuffiaurre in the first line of the press. Estudiantes were forced long when Boca Juniors pressed man-to-man. Estudiantes tried to manipulate the opposition press but they didn’t exploit the setup they created.

Piovi dropped into the last line which dragged out Belmonte, leaving Paredes as the lone midfielder. Estudiantes failed to use this setup to penetrate the middle. Whenever Claudio’s men pressed, Estudiantes tried to build around the press and go long. In most cases, Boca Juniors forced turnovers and got momentum when they recovered the ball.

Piovi dragging Belmonte out of position to manipulate Boca Juniors’ press.

Boca Juniors were sloppy at times on the ball, especially in their defensive third. Marchesin made big saves to keep his team in the game as it could have made matters worse if they conceded again in the first half.

The Set Piece Difference

Set-pieces ultimately made the game easier for Dominguez and his team. They had a lead to hold onto but the corner goals were definitely intended. For the first goal, a well set-up routine exploited the numerical difference at the edge of the box as they got the cross in. 

For the second, Medina took the corner short to Burgos. He then made a run behind his teammate that attracted Benedetti’s marker, Zeballos. This left Benedetti unmarked at the edge of the box to make a good cross to the back post for Nunez to score.

Estudiantes’ goal. Medina’s run dragging Zeballos away from Benedetti giving him enough room to put a good ball into the box for Núñez at the back post.

Estudiantes’ Defensive Approach

Estudiantes didn’t apply much pressure to Boca Juniors during their buildup phase. Their 4-2-3-1 press didn’t allow them to be so aggressive. Carrillo led the press while Medina covered Paredes, the opposition defensive midfielder. The team focused on being very aggressive in the middle of the pitch. Being compact and aggressive was key to their top first half performance. 

Having a plus one in the last line when the team pressed also kept some rigidity in defence. Boca Juniors found it hard to break Estudiantes’ 4-2-3-1 block and conceded transitions through Medina, who was used as an outlet to counter alongside Carrillo.

Boca Juniors attacking with high fullbacks and bodies forward gave some space for Estudiantes forwards to attack in transitions.

Medina and Carrillo used as outlets to lead attacking transitions.

Boca Juniors’ Big Second Half

Boca showed clear improvements in the second half and this was down to Claudio’s second half shift tactically. Boca Juniors became more aggressive and changed to a more attacking shape. Fullbacks held the width while the wingers became narrow and looked to overload the middle. This way, Zeballos and Zenón were found in between the lines and had entries centrally.

Dominguez’s approach in the second half didn’t seem to change much from the first half, but they dropped to a low-block more often. Boca Juniors improved their dynamism of play and attacked with urgency. Barinaga and Blanco had more time to put crosses in with numbers in the box. 

As the game progressed, Paredes dropped into the last line which dragged Medina out of position and played horizontal switches to beat the Estudiantes press. Burgos was hesitant to press in this case as he was overloaded. This gave Boca Juniors some momentum to play with.

Paredes taking advantage of Estudiantes’ pressing structure by finding the free man through horizontal switches.

Boca Juniors advanced higher up the pitch a lot more in the second half through penetrating the middle more. The introduction of Gonzalo Gelini saw Claude shift to a more offensive shape and this had an impact on the game. Gelini played off the right, Zenón shifted to the left, and Zeballos played the striker role with Zuffiaure. Boca Juniors had more forwards on the pitch.

Blanco’s darting run forward restored hope for Claudio as he put a brilliant cross for Gelini to head into the path of Zeballos.

Boca Juniors goal. Gelini and Zeballos combine to take advantage of Blanco’s crosses in the second half.

Estudiantes held on and defended well in the final minutes of the game to win their second game of the Apertura after a draw in the first one. Boca Juniors suffered their first defeat of this early Apertura.

Takeaways

Estudiantes’ victory over Boca Juniors was shaped less by control of possession and more by their ability to impose rhythm, manipulate key moments, and defend with clarity once ahead. Their aggression from goal kicks and early attacking sequences forced Boca into repeated defensive actions, immediately testing their organization and concentration. 

Set-pieces proved decisive in establishing game-state control. Estudiantes’ corner routines were clearly rehearsed, exploiting numerical advantages at the edge of the box and creating free crossing angles. These moments allowed Dominguez’s men to play from a position of advantage without sacrificing their attacking intent, continuing to push Boca back rather than retreating into passive control.

Out of possession, Estudiantes prioritized compactness and central aggression. Their 4-2-3-1 mid-block limited Boca’s ability to play through the middle, with Carrillo leading the press and Medina tasked with screening Paredes. 

Rather than pressing high, Estudiantes focused on controlling central zones and transitions through Medina and Carrillo when Boca committed numbers forward. This approach exposed the space behind Boca’s advanced fullbacks and reinforced Estudiantes’ threat on the counter.

Boca’s second-half improvement stemmed from structural adjustments. Claudio shifted towards a more aggressive attacking shape, with fullbacks holding width and wingers narrowing to overload central channels. Paredes dropping deeper facilitated cleaner progression through horizontal switches, stretching Estudiantes’ block and generating crossing opportunities. 

The introduction of additional attacking profiles increased pressure, eventually producing a goal, but Estudiantes’ defensive discipline and rest-defense structure allowed them to absorb late momentum swings and see the game out. Estudiantes combined tactical bravery with structural solidity, ensuring their early advantage translated into a deserved result.

We decided to make this article free to read. If you want to support our work, consider taking a subscription.