Boca Juniors might find it difficult to top the success of last season but Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side have their sights firmly fixed on the Copa Libertadores and if Saturday night’s friendly against Emelec was anything to go by, it will not be only the additions of Dani Osvaldo and Jonathan Silva that aid this but the emergence of 18-year-old Alexis Messidorro.
A far stronger eleven in the first half which included Carlos Tevez and handed debuts to recent signings Jonathan Silva and Leonardo Jara were unable to breakdown Ecuadorian champions, Emelec but with swathes of changes made at the break, the match opened up and the Boca supporters may have had a first glimpse of a future star.
18-year-old midfielder Alexis Messidorro broke the deadlock just before the hour mark after winning the ball back, exchanging passes with Carlos Tevez and rifling the ball into the bottom corner and minutes later the academy product turned provider. A wonderful first-time throughball found another exciting youngster, Cristian Pavón and he slotted the ball beneath Esteban Dreer.
Federico Carrizo added a third in stoppage time with an opportunistic header to seal a comfortable win for Boca and a decent preseason workout ahead of the Supercopa against San Lorenzo in a couple of weeks.
golazo argentino 