Montero and Villa Debut as Boca Edge O'Higgins 1-0

Boca Juniors opened their Copa Sudamericana campaign with a 1-0 victory over O'Higgins in the first leg of the playoffs, with Miguel Merentiel scoring the winner from a Leandro Paredes assist. The match marked the debut of two Colombian signings: goalkeeper Álvaro Montero and winger Sebastián Villa.

Match Performance

Montero had a solid debut, making three saves and cutting out three crosses, earning a Sofascore rating of 7.2. His best moment came in the first half when he reflexively denied Martín Sarrafiore from close range Source: elcolombiano. Villa, returning after three years, completed 28 of 37 passes (76%) and completed three dribbles but did not score or assist Source: elcolombiano.

New Signings

Montero joined from Vélez Sarsfield for a reported $4 million, while Villa cost €5.6 million from an undisclosed club Source: infobae, elcolombiano. Before the match, Montero made a peculiar gesture—flexing his index finger—which he later explained is a code with his daughter and a tribute to Millonarios fans Source: infobae.

Record Height

At 2.01 meters, Montero is the tallest goalkeeper in Boca's history, surpassing Agustín Rossi (1.95m) Source: clarin. He expressed admiration for fellow Colombian Óscar Córdoba, saying: "Años atrás hablé con él sobre esta chance, tengo una admiración total por él" Source: clarin. Montero is the third Colombian goalkeeper to play for Boca, after Córdoba and Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya.