Boca edge River in fiery Superclasico

Boca Juniors claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over arch-rivals River Plate in one of Latin America's fiercest football rivalries, the Superclasico, at a raucous La Bombonera on Sunday.

Centre-back Lautaro Di Lollo proved the difference, heading home Sebastián Villa's corner to secure bragging rights for Boca in a fiercely contested encounter.

River's afternoon unravelled early when Lucas Martínez Quarta received a straight red card following a VAR review for pulling Miguel Merentiel's shirt. The visitors later lost Gonzalo Montiel to another red card for a late challenge on Lautaro Blanco, finishing the match with nine men.

Tempers also flared between Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning team-mates Leandro Paredes and Marcos Acuña, who were both booked following a first-half confrontation. Paredes was also involved in a brief altercation with Nicolás Otamendi.

Despite the numerical advantage, Boca had to withstand River's pressure before securing a memorable derby triumph. The victory also boosts Boca's confidence ahead of their Copa Sudamericana final against Atlético Mineiro on 21 November.