Boca Juniors secured a 2-1 victory against Central Córdoba at the Estadio Madre de Ciudades, in a match highlighted by Michael Santos's controversial goal for the Ferroviario, which was validated by VAR during the closing stages of the Torneo Apertura 2026 group phase. The Xeneize managed to win, though the Santiago del Estero team's goal added a layer of suspense to the encounter.

Michael Santos's controversial goal, which narrowed the gap for Central Córdoba, required an extensive VAR intervention. Initially, the Uruguayan forward's position appeared to be offside, but after review by Lucas Novelli in Ezeiza, it was determined that Tomás Belmonte's foot played him onside, thus validating the goal.

Boca Juniors' victory was built in the first half thanks to a scoring burst. Alan Velasco and Milton Giménez were responsible for scoring the Xeneize's two goals, establishing a lead that would ultimately prove decisive for the final result of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol match.

Following Santos's goal, Boca Juniors' head coach, Claudio Úbeda, was compelled to make strategic changes from the bench to secure the three points. Tomás Aranda and Miguel Merentiel entered the field, replacing Milton Giménez and Exequiel Zeballos, aiming to refresh the team's attack and defense.

Subsequently, Úbeda also brought on Leandro Paredes and Milton Delgado, who replaced Ángel Romero and Williams Alarcón, respectively. These modifications were crucial for maintaining the lead and minimizing any risk of losing control of the match in the final minutes.

It is worth noting that Boca Juniors had already made a substitution in the first half due to an injury. Juan Barinaga had to leave the field, being replaced by Marcelo Weigandt, which limited Úbeda's options for the remainder of the match.

Despite his team's defeat, Michael Santos celebrated his fourth goal of the season, solidifying his position as Central Córdoba's sole top scorer. The Santiago del Estero team, however, arrived at this match without any chances of qualifying for the next phase of the championship.