08.11.2026 09:50
Former Fenerbahçe player Enner Valencia became the man who brought the championship to Boca Juniors in Argentina. The Ecuadorian striker gave his team a 1-0 victory with the goal he scored in the 90+6th minute against Defensa y Justicia. With this result, Boca Juniors finished the 2026 season's annual points table at the top with 63 points, ending a trophy drought that lasted more than three years. Valencia became the hero of the championship with his last-minute goal.
The fate of the championship race in Argentine football was decided by former Fenerbahçe player Enner Valencia. While Boca Juniors could not find the goal they had been seeking for a long time against Defensa y Justicia, whom they hosted at home, the Ecuadorian striker took the stage in the final moments of the match. Boca Juniors, who defeated their opponent 1-0 with the goal Valencia scored in stoppage time, finished the 2026 season's annual points table in first place and lifted the championship trophy.
FORMER FENERBAHÇE PLAYER TOOK THE STAGE IN THE LAST MINUTE
In the match played at La Bombonera Stadium, Boca Juniors had to win to reach the championship. However, the home team struggled to break through the Defensa y Justicia defense. While Miguel Merentiel's goal in the first half was disallowed for offside, the visiting team's goalkeeper, Matias Borgogno, did not allow Boca Juniors through with his saves.
Head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena brought Enner Valencia into the game in the second half. While the match was thought to be heading for a goalless finish, in stoppage time, goalkeeper Borgogno failed to control the cross sent into the penalty area. In the ensuing scramble, Valencia found the ball in front of him and sent the leather ball into the net with his shot. The Ecuadorian star's goal in the 90+5th minute brought Boca Juniors the championship.
THE 3-YEAR WAIT ENDED WITH VALENCIA'S GOAL
Boca Juniors, who left the field with a 1-0 victory thanks to Enner Valencia's goal, increased their points to 63 and finished the season's annual points table at the top. Their closest follower, Rosario Central, despite defeating Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto 2-0, remained in second place with 62 points.
With this result, Boca Juniors experienced cup joy for the first time after the Argentine Super Cup they won in March 2023. The Argentine representative also secured the right to participate directly in the 2027 Copa Libertadores from the group stage.
AFTER FENERBAHÇE, HE MADE HISTORY IN ARGENTINA
Enner Valencia, who wore the Fenerbahçe jersey between 2020 and 2023, had particularly stood out for his goalscoring at the yellow-navy team. The Ecuadorian footballer, who scored 29 goals in the Süper Lig in the 2022-2023 season, finished the season as the top scorer.
After leaving Fenerbahçe, Valencia transferred to Brazil's Internacional team and joined the Boca Juniors squad in August 2026. The experienced footballer, who made an impact with important goals in a short time at the Argentine club, scored his sixth goal in the Boca Juniors shirt with the goal he scored against Defensa y Justicia and experienced his first championship in the country.
HIS FIRST WORDS AFTER THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Speaking after the match, Valencia thanked Boca Juniors President Juan Roman Riquelme for the trust he had shown in him. The striker stated that they knew the match would be difficult but believed they would score until the last moment.
Valencia expressed that his teammates fought hard and said that after coming on he tried to contribute to the team and was happy to have taken the opportunity he found. The Ecuadorian star also stated that every goal he scored in the Boca Juniors shirt meant more to him.
BOCA JUNIORS HAVE TWO MORE CUPS IN THEIR SIGHTS
After the championship, Boca Juniors will continue their cup fight in the remaining part of the season. The Argentine representative will face Banfield in the Argentine Cup semi-final on November 14. Then, on November 21, they will compete against Brazilian representative Atletico Mineiro in the Copa Sudamericana final to be played in Colombia.
The championship that came with Enner Valencia's last-minute goal became a great source of morale for Boca Juniors ahead of their cup goals for the rest of the season.
Here is Enner Valencia's goal that brought the championship;