Boca Juniors take the lead on first derby; rematch on Sunday

Boca Juniors won an unusual "Superclásico", with Nicolas Blandi scoring both goals in a 2-0 friendly win over archrival River Plate.

With River now in the second division of Argentine football, a lucrative friendly was scheduled to make up for the lack of league meetings between the nation's two most famous clubs.

Blandi opened the scoring with a seventh-minute header and put the match away in the 79th.

River's early momentum faded quickly when Alejandro Domínguez was sent off in the 26th. He drew a yellow card for a bad tackle, and then another moments later for a making a threatening gesture toward the referee.

The match was testy throughout, even with only pride at stake.

River Plate: Daniel Vega; Luciano Vella, Jonatan Maidana, Ramiro Funes Mori and Carlos Arano; Leonardo Ponzio, Ezequiel Cirigliano and Carlos Sánchez; Alejandro Domínguez; Rogelio Funes Mori and Fernando Cavenaghi. Coach: Matías Almeyda.

Boca Juniors: Agustín Orión; Franco Sosa, Rolando Schiavi, Juan Manuel Insaurralde and Facundo Roncaglia; Pablo Ledesma, Leandro Somoza and Nicolás Colazo; Cristian Chávez; Pablo Mouche y Nicolás Blandi. Coach: Julio Falcioni.