Enner Valencia Scores Hat-Trick as Boca Juniors Reach Next Round of Argentina Cup
Enner Valencia produced a dramatic late turnaround for Boca Juniors, scoring three times to secure a 3-2 victory over Racing Club in the Argentina Cup. Boca had been two goals behind before the Ecuadorian forward came on in the 56th minute and changed the course of the derby.
Racing held a 2-0 advantage when Valencia entered the match. Boca needed a response, and the substitute began his comeback in the 72nd minute, reducing the deficit to 2-1. His goal gave Boca a foothold in the contest and renewed the pressure on Racing.
Valencia struck again in the 80th minute, drawing Boca level at 2-2. With the teams still tied deep into stoppage time, the forward completed his hat-trick in the 90+5th minute. The late goal made it 3-2 and sealed Boca Juniors’ place in the next round.
The result turned a match that appeared to be slipping away into a memorable cup victory. Trailing by two goals, Boca recovered through three strikes from one player, while Racing were unable to protect their lead in the closing stages.
Valencia’s contribution was especially striking because he started the comeback from the bench. He made an immediate impact after being introduced, scoring his first goal 16 minutes later before adding the equaliser and the decisive finish.
The sequence of goals also gave the match a clear turning point. Valencia’s first strike cut the gap and brought Boca back into contention; his second erased Racing’s advantage. The third, arriving in the fifth minute of added time, completed the reversal and settled the tie.
For Boca, the 3-2 win means progression in the Argentina Cup after a derby that demanded persistence as well as a clinical finish. The team did not give up when it fell two goals behind, and Valencia’s three goals transformed that resilience into a place in the next round.
A hat-trick in a cup match carries particular weight because each goal can directly shape a team’s progress in the competition. In this case, Valencia’s scoring did more than level the contest: his final effort decided the outcome and prevented the match from ending in a draw.
The late timing made the winner even more consequential. With little time remaining, Boca had to make the most of its opportunity, and Valencia delivered in the 90+5th minute. His performance became the defining feature of the derby and the key reason Boca Juniors advanced.
Racing Club, meanwhile, will be left to reflect on how a two-goal lead disappeared. After controlling the scoreline, the side conceded three times in the final phase of the match and was eliminated from this cup tie. For Boca, the comeback offers a dramatic route into the next round, powered by Valencia’s decisive hat-trick.