Breathless Boca struggling in Copa
By Charles Froggatt for CNN
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Bolivar players celebrate with hat-trick hero Castillo (second right).
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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- As Latin America's Copa Libertadores club tournament reaches its fourth week, Bolivia's Bolivar have caused the biggest upset to date, beating champions Boca Juniors.
Boca, who also won the Intercontinental Cup and Argentine title last season, were soundly beaten in La Paz last Wednesday where the players clearly suffered from playing at 3600-meters above sea level.
"Boca was just not up to playing at that altitude," said veteran Boca coach Carlos Bianchi.
With three minutes left on the clock, Bianchi approached the touchline, outstretched his arms and told his players to save their strength and settle for a 3-1 defeat.
Bianchi had flooded the Boca midfield with a 3-5-1 system in an attempt to preserve his side's energy, only to watch the Bolivian team penetrate the flanks and Jose Alfredo Castillo score a hat-trick.
Boca's Miguel Caneo made the score 2-1 on 46 minutes, but Castillo's third goal 11 minutes after the break sealed the affair and made him the tournament's leading goal scorer.
Fierce rivals
Boca, who according to Bianchi "lack a prolific goal scorer," had already started the season badly, losing twice to fierce local rival River Plate in pre-season competitions and drawing its first match of the domestic Clausura season.
Bolivar and Columbian team Deportivo Cali both top group eight while Colo Colo from Chile and Boca warm the foot of the table. Deportivo Cali will next face Bolivar at home while Boca play host to Colo Colo.
Brazilian teams Santos and Cruzeiro, who are also among the favorites, have struggled as well.
Last season's runners-up Santos could only scrape a 2-2 draw against Paraguayan side Guarani, after Osvaldo Diaz had scored twice for the visitors. Only a last minute header from substitute Lopes salvaged a point for the home side.
Santos join Ecuador's Barcelona at the top of the group seven followed by Guarani, while Bolivian side Jorge Wilsterman are yet to register a point having conceded five more goals than they have scored.
Brazilian champions Cruzeiro, who top group three, could also only take a point from their game against Mexican side Santos Laguna at home. Cruzeiro are followed by Santos Laguna, Concepcion from Chile and Caracas from Venezuela.
Ten matches will be played this week with the most notable clash being the game between River Plate and Paraguayan team Libertad.
The fixture will be played in Buenos Aires where River should have the advantage; but of the 25 matches played to date, the visiting team has either won or drawn on 15 occasions.
The tournament is the equivalent of Europe's Champions League and features the best teams from 11 countries.
Boca fans, who in December celebrated as their side beat European champions AC Milan in Tokyo, will be hoping Bianchi's side can re-discover the form that took them to Intercontinental Cup glory.
