LA PLATA, Argentina (Interstat) — In a result that defied statistical projections, Boca Juniors opened its Primera Nacional campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Estudiantes La Plata on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi. The visiting Xeneizes secured the three points, but not in the dominant fashion that pregame forecasts had suggested, relying on key contributions from substitutes to overcome a resilient, if ultimately ill-disciplined, home side.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a lopsided 4-0 final score in favor of Boca Juniors, with its ELO system giving the Buenos Aires giants a 95.60 percent probability to win. The actual match proved to be a far more contentious and tightly contested affair, a fact underscored by a flurry of first-half yellow cards and a late red card that left Estudiantes La Plata finishing the match with 10 men.

The game’s opening goal, arriving just before halftime, set the tone for a match defined by impactful substitutions. In the 49th minute, Boca Juniors’ Exequiel Zeballos, who had entered the match as a substitute, broke the deadlock. The goal was a product of sharp midfield play, with fellow substitute Miguel Merentiel providing the decisive assist to unlock the Estudiantes defense and find Zeballos for the finish.

Boca Juniors emerged from the halftime interval with increased control and doubled its lead in the 65th minute. The play was engineered by midfielder Edwin Cetré, who delivered a precise pass to Merentiel. The Uruguayan striker, who had already notched an assist, made no mistake with his finish, slotting the ball home to give his team a commanding 2-0 advantage. The goal cemented a stellar performance off the bench for Merentiel, who tallied one goal and one assist in his influential appearance.

Facing a two-goal deficit, Estudiantes La Plata refused to capitulate and managed to halve the deficit in the 78th minute, injecting late drama into the contest. The goal came from Cetré, who completed his own impressive stat line by capitalizing on an opportunity created by defender Facundo Rodríguez. Cetré’s goal, combined with his earlier assist, marked him as one of the standout performers on the pitch, contributing directly to both of his team’s scores.

The match’s physical and often fractious nature was evident throughout, particularly in a chaotic stretch late in the first half. The officiating crew was busy, issuing five yellow cards in the opening period alone. Estudiantes’ Milton Giménez was booked in the 18th minute, followed swiftly by Boca’s Edwin Cetré in the 20th. The closing moments of the half saw a flurry of cautions, with Boca’s Miguel Merentiel and Estudiantes defenders Facundo Rodríguez and Santiago Núñez all having their names taken by the referee.

The disciplinary issues culminated in the 88th minute when Estudiantes La Plata’s Gabriel Neves was shown a straight red card, reducing his team to 10 men for the frantic final moments. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Estudiantes pressed for an equalizer, but the Boca Juniors defense held firm to see out the victory.

The result provides an ideal start to the Primera Nacional season for Boca Juniors, which improves its record to one win and zero losses in the competition and across all competitions this season. For Estudiantes La Plata, the narrow defeat in front of their home supporters marks a disappointing beginning, as their record falls to zero wins and one loss both in the Primera Nacional and overall.

While the final score fell well short of the predicted rout, the three points on the road will be all that matters for Boca Juniors manager and his squad. The performances of substitutes Merentiel and Zeballos, combined with the pivotal role played by Cetré, demonstrated the squad depth and match-winning quality that makes Boca a perennial favorite. For Estudiantes, the fight shown in a close loss against a heavily favored opponent provides a foundation to build upon, though the team’s discipline will be a point of emphasis after a match featuring six total cards, including a costly sending-off.