Banfield’s defeat 24 hours earlier had already crowned Boca Juniors champions so Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side can perhpas be excused for taking their foot off the gas. However, it did allow Olimpo to salvage a point and that could have a profound effect on the relegation battle.
Boca were two goals ahead at half time thanks to some really poor defending and Ricardo Centurion and Darío Benedetto striking within a minute of each other just before the break but when the teams reappeared from the tunnel, Olimpo looked revitalised, like the side that impressively draw away to Independiente on Sunday.
A calamitous Lisandro Magallán own-goal provided a route back in and when Yonathan Cabral equalised with a close range overhead kick, the home side looked the more likely winners.
Both sides came close to snatching all three points in the closing stages but neither could find the net. For champions Boca the result means nothing but for Olimpo, it means they head into the final day just outside the relegation zone but having to avoid defeat.
The reason for that is that Olimpo’s opponents will be Aldosivi, who lost 1-0 to River Plate in the Monumental and now need a victory on the final or at least to better Temperley’s result against Vélez.
After a desperately poor performance against Boca on Sunday, goalkeeper Matías Vega was again at fault as his fumble allowed Lucas Martínez Quarta the chance to bundle in the game’s only goal after 70 minutes.
While Aldosivi’s Primera future hangs in the balance, River Plate have all but sealed their place in the 2018 Copa Libertadores.
