El Rojo y la Ribera se taken un photograph y leave Avellaneda with the same result

It was like a promise postponed: everyone arrived, the referee blew the whistle, the ball was kicked, and the goal never came. Independiente and Boca ended the decimocuarta fecha del Torneo Clausura with a 0-0 that left more questions than answers. The visitors had the clearest chances, but Santiago Mele, the Uruguayan goalkeeper who started instead of Rodrigo Rey, kept the score intact and took over the match.

The decision by Jadson Viera was already a statement before kickoff. Mele played under the three posts instead of Rey, whose performance against Racing had left doubts, especially in the goal that opened the scoring in that match. It was a bold move in a clásico, and the local goalkeeper responded with a decisive save when the danger was greatest.

Boca's best moment came in the first half. Merentiel received a cross from Flores and ended up alone in front of Mele, but could not finish. Minutes later, Flores received a precise long pass from Lozano and missed a right-footed shot with the goal at his mercy. Two chances, two misses: the kind of waste that makes a draw look like a point that escaped.

Mele's save and the visitors' wasted chances

The moment of highest danger for Independiente was not a goal but a save. Mele stopped a left-footed attempt by Merentiel that had everything to change the script. After that, the local team kept pushing. Avila generated two consecutive situations: he diverted a shot after a play by Montiel and then searched for the angle with his left foot, only to see the ball pass close to the post. Montiel, the most active player for el Rojo, also tried to finish a counterattack, but his shot was weak.

The temperature rose when Alan Velasco entered the field. The former Independiente player, who returned to the local side after his time in the United States, chose Boca and was received by the local crowd with whistles and insults. The ex-player, who now defends la Ribera's goal, became a central point of the afternoon. As if football were not enough, the political activity around the club added another layer: on December 13, Independiente will hold its presidential election with Gastón Gaudio, Enrique Sacco and Luciano Nakis as candidates.

• Boca wasted two clear chances in the first half: Merentiel alone against Mele and Flores with an empty goal after a long pass from Lozano.
• Santiago Mele made the decisive save against a left-footed shot by Merentiel and was the figure of Independiente.
• Avila had two dangerous actions for el Rojo, while Montiel's counterattack ended with a weak shot.
• Velasco was received with whistles and insults after entering the field for Boca.
• Marcone received his fifth yellow card and will miss the next match against Defensa y Justicia; Avila was also cautioned for pushing Braida.

“Mele was the figure of the local team with a decisive save, while the visitors failed to take advantage of their clearest opportunities.”Facundo Yacante, Deportes

As for whether either team deserved to take the game, the answer is not so simple. Boca created the clearest chances, but Mele kept everything in order. Independiente was more solid and managed the transitions, although it did not finish the plays it generated. The 0-0 reflected what was seen on the field: a match with good opportunities that were not converted and a goalkeeper who was up to the task. My forecast is that the next clásico will bring more definition, but I reserve the right to be wrong.