Boca Juniors Beat O'Higgins, But Wastefulness Is a Bigger Story Than the Scoreline

Boca Juniors controlled the ball for long stretches against O'Higgins on Thursday night at La Bombonera, but control and conviction are not the same thing. Miguel Merentiel's 44th-minute strike was enough to settle the first leg of this Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 tie, giving Rodolfo Arruabarrena's side the advantage heading into the second leg, but a single goal from a team that dominated territory the way Boca did should read as a warning, not a triumph.

Dominating possession means little if the chances built from it are repeatedly wasted. Boca had the better part of ninety minutes to turn control into a comfortable lead and instead leaned on one moment of quality from Merentiel to get the job done. Against a Chilean side missing key defensive pieces, that inefficiency didn't cost Boca the result. It will cost them eventually if it becomes a pattern, particularly with the second leg still to come and River Plate waiting for the winner of this tie in the next round.

Winning is important. Boca did that. But convincing wins are the ones that build the kind of momentum a club with Boca's ambitions needs heading deeper into a continental competition. A 1-0 built on missed chances is a result to be relieved by, not one to feel good about.