Five Years Without Conquering Brazil
Boca fell again and has now gone over five years without a win on Brazilian soil.
Boca Juniors suffered a setback in the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026, losing 1-0 to Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte on Matchday 3 of Group D.
The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute, when Néiser Villarreal scored the only goal of the match at the Estadio Mineirão. The game had been evenly contested, but it was heavily influenced by a key incident: the red card shown to Adam Bareiro just before halftime (45’+1), forcing Boca—coached by Claudio Úbeda—to play the entire second half with ten men.
This result not only complicates Boca’s position in the group but also ends a 14-match unbeaten run across all competitions. It further extends their struggles in Brazil, where they have not secured a regulation-time win since 2019.
Despite a resilient defensive effort while down a player, Boca could not withstand Cruzeiro’s pressure, eventually conceding late in the match.
Boca must now respond quickly, with crucial fixtures ahead both domestically and in the Libertadores as they aim to get back on track and fight for qualification.
