Sao Paulo lucky to lose by just one goal

Current Brazilian League leaders Sao Paulo were lucky to escape with a 2-1 loss away to Boca Juniors on Thursday, in the first leg of the South American Recopa, which features the winners of last year's Libertadores and Sudamericana tournaments. Boca, which won the latter, dominated the game and should have won more handily. Instead, they had to come from behind and overcome a first half deficit to finally turn things around in the second.

Nobody could have bet Sao Paulo would play so poorly, but the team coached by Muricy Ramalho clearly showed its intention from the opening kickoff, staying put in defense in order to try to take advantage of counterattacks. The tactic proved useless for the most part though, since the team had trouble connecting too many passes when it got past the midfield. Boca lost a few oppotunities at the start of the game, and even hit the crossbar after nearly 10 minutes.

Sao Paulo opened the score though, on a long shot from Thiago in which Paraguayan goalkeeper Carlos Bobadilla failed miserably to let the ball in. The match did not change much after the goal, and Boca kept the pressure on but with no luck. As is usually the case, the fans at the Bombonera kept singing and pushing their team, certain that the leaders of the Argentine Soccer League would pull through and come back to at least tie the game.

And it didn't take long for it to happen. Palacio tied the game after finding himself all alone inside the penalty box, in the 53rd minute. Sao Paulo continued to play poor soccer, and missed counterattack after counterattack after misplaying a ball or missing a pass. Forward Alex Dias was the clear example of the team's futility, coming in to sub an injured Aloisio in the 35th minute and being subbed himself in the 60th minute, after missing all 6 plays he took part on.

Boca eventually scored its second, in the 73rd minute, against with Palacio. And it only didn't score more because its forwards missed a handful of chances. In the end, the 2-1 score did not reflect the clear superiority shown by the Argentine team.

Sao Paulo now only needs a 1-0 win back home in the return leg next week to win the Recopa. But the team must know that it will have to play a lot better to get that result. At stake, more than the continental title: the team's own pride and confidence it may need to keep atop the Brazilian league.