Piovi penalty gives Racing 2-1 win over Boca in Argentine Super Cup
Sports
Racing beat Boca Juniors 2-1 to lift the Argentine Super Cup on Friday.
AL AIN (Reuters) - Racing Club s Gonzalo Piovi scored a 98th-minute penalty as they beat Boca Juniors 2-1 to lift the Argentine Super Cup after coming from behind at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates on Friday.
Facundo Roncaglia gave Argentine league champions Boca the lead in the 17th minute but Racing s Johan Carbonero equalised within three minutes and it was level deep into stoppage time.
Left back Piovi then became the hero for Racing in the dying minutes of the showdown, played outside Argentina for the first time, by scoring from the spot after a handball to secure the trophy, two months after they won the Champions Cup.
Boca Juniors had gone ahead after Roncaglia fired home a powerful volley at the near post but Carbonero equalised soon after by latching onto a pinpoint through ball from Maxi Moralez before unleashing an incredible shot from distance.
"We had prepared the play for the goal during the week with coach Gago because they leave space," Carbonero said.
"We won because we tried until the last moment," the 23-year-old striker added.
Boca goalkeeper Javier Garcia made a crucial save in the 42nd minute and their midfielder Juan Ramirez came close in the second half when his powerful left-foot shot went just wide.
Racing also twice came close as Garcia had to block a long-range effort from Anibal Moreno before Carbonero missed a golden chance when he fired into the side-netting after getting past the onrushing keeper in the box.
The contest was finally decided by late drama as Racing were awarded a penalty following a handball by Gonzalo Agustin Sandez and Piovi made no mistake, sending his shot into the bottom right corner to spark celebrations among his team mates.
"I leave hurt, we wanted to win. At one point in the game, when it was coming to an end, there was a penalty that at least the referee should have checked," Boca coach Hugo Ibarra said of referee Fernando Rapallini. "He should use the same criteria and he didn t use it in this match.
"It was unfortunate... It ended there, we lost the match, a complicated, difficult match, which was open for both sides".
