Boca Juniors edges Paranaense 1-0 in friendly, Blanco scores stunner

Boca Juniors, under new coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena, secured a 1-0 victory against Athletico Paranaense in a friendly match held at the Padre Martearena stadium in Salta. The win, achieved with a spectacular long-range goal from Lautaro Blanco, offered a glimpse of the team's early preparations as they look to reconcile with their fans after recent disappointments.

The team adopted a 4-3-3 formation, reminiscent of Arruabarrena's previous tenure. Milton Delgado featured in midfield alongside Santiago Ascacíbar and Tomás Belmonte, filling the void left by the absent World Cup participant Leandro Paredes. The coach's strategy appeared to emphasize high pressing and maintaining a compact shape, with midfielders pushing into the opponent's half.

Despite the positive result, the match revealed some defensive vulnerabilities. Boca experienced lapses in concentration during defensive transitions, leading to counter-attack opportunities for the Brazilian side. These instances required Boca's defense to scramble back, though they did not result in significant threats.

Lautaro Blanco's performance, capped by his impressive goal, was a highlight. However, the team's challenge moving forward will be to avoid over-reliance on Paredes or other key players, a lesson Arruabarrena's Boca will need to learn quickly. The team faces Sarmiento in the Copa Argentina's Round of 32 next Thursday, leaving little time to address these issues.