The streak is over. Boca Juniors’ 14-match unbeaten run ended at the Mineirão on Tuesday night, where Cruzeiro beat the Xeneize 1-0 in a bruising Copa Libertadores Group D encounter. Neyser Villarreal scored the decisive goal after Adam Bareiro’s controversial second-half red card left Boca with ten men — the Paraguayan striker dismissed for a manotazo on Christian after a debatable first yellow. The defeat is Boca’s first since February but does not derail their continental campaign: they still lead Group D on six points alongside Cruzeiro. Libertadores matchday 3 continues tonight with Corinthians hosting Peñarol, Rivadavia receiving La Guaira, and Medellín facing Cusco — while Thursday brings Flamengo at Estudiantes and Palmeiras at Cerro Porteño. As always, The Rio Times delivers comprehensive Latin America coverage.
Libertadores MD3 — Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
COMPETITION
RESULT
NOTE
Libertadores Gr D
Cruzeiro 1-0 Boca
Villarreal; Bareiro red — Boca streak ends
Libertadores Gr B
Tolima vs Coquimbo
Tuesday night
Libertadores Gr F
Sp. Cristal vs Junior
Tuesday night
Group D after MD3
Boca 6, Cruzeiro 6
CRU lead on H2H (3-0)
Libertadores MD3 (Wed)
Corinthians vs Peñarol
+ Rivadavia vs La Guaira, DIM vs Cusco
Libertadores MD3 (Thu)
Estudiantes vs Flamengo
+ Cerro vs Palmeiras, U vs Nacional
01
Cruzeiro Beat Boca 1-0 at the Mineirão: Bareiro Red Card Ends the Xeneize’s 14-Match Unbeaten Run
Libertadores
Boca’s extraordinary run — 14 matches unbeaten across all competitions, encompassing the Superclásico victory, the Libertadores group dominance, and last Thursday’s 4-0 rout of Defensa — came to an end in Belo Horizonte. Cruzeiro beat the Xeneize 1-0 at the Mineirão in a physical, ill-tempered Group D encounter that turned on Adam Bareiro’s second-half red card.
The match was contentious from the opening minutes. Leandro Paredes was booked early for an off-the-ball push on Matheus Pereira, setting the tone for a fractious evening. The decisive moment arrived when Bareiro, already on a yellow for a foul on Gérson, received a second booking for a manotazo (slap) on Christian while shielding the ball. Boca’s coaching staff were incensed — Claudio Úbeda argued the first yellow was unwarranted — but referee Esteban Ostojich was unmoved. Down to ten men, Boca couldn’t contain Cruzeiro’s growing pressure, and Neyser Villarreal struck the winner with a composed finish that sent the 45,000 Mineirão crowd into raptures.
Despite the defeat, Boca remain in a strong position. Group D is now level at the top: Boca 6 points, Cruzeiro 6 — but Cruzeiro hold the head-to-head advantage (3-0) after this victory. Universidad Católica sit on 3 points and Barcelona SC on zero. With three matchdays remaining, Boca need two wins from their remaining three matches to guarantee qualification. Bareiro will serve a one-match suspension, missing the next Libertadores fixture.
KEY STAT: Boca’s 14-match unbeaten run: ended. Group D: Boca 6, Cruzeiro 6 (CRU lead on H2H 3-0), U. Católica 3, Barcelona SC 0. Bareiro suspended for MD4. Boca had just 3 shots on target with 10 men. It was their first defeat since Estudiantes 2-1 Boca on January 28.
02
Group D Analysis: Cruzeiro’s H2H Edge, Boca’s Suspension Problem, and the Path to Qualification
Analysis
Tuesday’s result fundamentally reshapes Group D. Although Boca and Cruzeiro are level on six points, the Brazilian side now hold the critical head-to-head tiebreaker advantage — having beaten Boca 1-0 at home while Boca’s earlier Bombonera victory was 3-0 over Barcelona SC, not Cruzeiro. If the group finishes level on points, Cruzeiro would take first place.
The implications for Boca are significant but manageable. The Xeneize have three remaining group matches: home to Universidad Católica (MD4), away to Barcelona SC (MD5), and home to Cruzeiro (MD6, the reverse fixture). Winning two of those three would guarantee qualification regardless of other results. The concern is squad management: Bareiro’s suspension removes a key attacking option for MD4, and Paredes’ yellow card accumulation means he is one booking from missing a match.
For Cruzeiro, Artur Jorge’s rebuild is gathering continental momentum. After the home defeat to U. Católica in MD2, the Portuguese manager made tactical adjustments — a deeper defensive line and more direct counter-attacking — that neutralised Boca’s possession game. The Mineirão crowd, which had been uncertain about Jorge’s appointment, roared their approval. The victory also has domestic implications: Cruzeiro had been struggling at 14th in the Brasileirão, and a confidence boost from continental competition could transform their league form.
KEY STAT: Group D qualification scenarios: Boca qualify with 2 wins from 3 remaining matches. Cruzeiro qualify with 2 wins from 3. Both clubs are virtually certain to progress — the battle is for first place, which determines the Round of 16 draw. MD6 (Boca vs Cruzeiro at the Bombonera) could be the decider.
Latin America Sports Daily for Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo Internet reproduction)
Copa Libertadores Matchday 3 Cruzeiro Beat Boca Juniors Mineirao Bareiro Red Card Unbeaten Run Ends Group D
Football
03
Libertadores MD3 Continues: Corinthians vs Peñarol Tonight, Flamengo at Estudiantes Thursday
Preview
Matchday 3 continues tonight with four fixtures that could reshape the group landscape. The headline: Corinthians host Peñarol at the Neo Química Arena in Group E (19:00 local). Fernando Diniz’s side lead the group on six points after wins over Platense and Santa Fe, while Peñarol sit on just one point after their shock home defeat to Platense in MD2. A third consecutive Libertadores win would put Corinthians in a commanding position to qualify.
Also tonight: Independiente Rivadavia host Deportivo La Guaira in Mendoza (Group C), where the Argentine revelation — 6/6 points including the maracanazo at Fluminense — will look to maintain their perfect record. Independiente Medellín face Cusco FC at the Atanasio Girardot (Group A) in what is effectively a must-win for both sides, with Colombian clubs still seeking their first 2026 CONMEBOL victory.
Thursday’s programme features the week’s biggest fixture: Estudiantes vs Flamengo at the UNO Jorge Luis Hirschi in La Plata (Group A). The defending champions, with a perfect 9-point record, travel to face the Apertura Zona A leaders in a clash between two of the continent’s form teams. Cerro Porteño host Palmeiras in Asunción (Group F), and Universitario receive Nacional in Lima (Group B) — the Peruvian side desperate for their first points after a turbulent week that saw their coach and sporting director both dismissed.
KEY STAT: Tonight: Corinthians vs Peñarol (Group E), Rivadavia vs La Guaira (Group C), Medellín vs Cusco (Group A). Thursday: Estudiantes vs Flamengo (Group A — top of table clash), Cerro vs Palmeiras (Group F), Universitario vs Nacional (Group B). World Cup: 43 days.
04
What the Defeat Means for Boca’s Apertura Playoff Campaign and the Bigger Picture
Analysis
The Mineirão defeat raises a question that had been dormant during Boca’s run: does the end of an unbeaten streak carry psychological weight into other competitions? The Xeneize face the Apertura’s final regular-season round this weekend — plus their postponed Fecha 9 match against Central Córdoba — before the playoffs begin. Whether Claudio Úbeda’s side can absorb the blow and refocus will define their campaign.
The evidence suggests they can. Boca’s domestic form has been built on tactical discipline rather than momentum — the 4-0 over Defensa, the Superclásico penalty at the Monumental, the 3-0 Libertadores demolition of Barcelona SC — all came from different tactical approaches that Úbeda adapted to the opponent. The Cruzeiro defeat was the product of a red card and the hostile Mineirão environment, not a systemic collapse.
The broader Apertura picture remains favourable. Boca sit on 27 points — joint-top of Zona A with Estudiantes, with a game in hand. The projected playoff bracket has them facing Belgrano in the octavos de final, a winnable draw. The Libertadores and Apertura campaigns run on parallel tracks, and one defeat in Belo Horizonte does not derail either. The question is whether Bareiro’s suspension and the physical toll of the Brazil trip affect this weekend’s domestic fixture.
KEY STAT: Boca’s unbeaten run W9 D5 spanned 14 matches from February 22 to April 27. Their next matches: Apertura Fecha 17 this weekend + Fecha 9 vs Central Córdoba (postponed). Playoffs projected: Boca (2A) vs Belgrano (7B). The defeat at Cruzeiro should be absorbed — the squad is deep enough to rotate.
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