Álvaro Montero arrives as one of the key background stories for Vasco da Gama vs Boca Juniors, because the goalkeeper has already shown he can tilt a shootout in Boca Juniors' favor. Across two penalty tiebreakers for the club, Montero has saved three of ten kicks and helped Boca advance both times.
That record matters because Tuesday's match against Vasco is scheduled for 21:30 at the Maracanã, and a knockout-style game can quickly turn into a test from the penalty spot. Montero's recent work gives Boca Juniors an added layer of confidence if the match reaches that stage.
What Montero has done in shootouts
The 31-year-old's shootout history did not begin with Boca Juniors, either. In 2018, Montero helped Deportes Tolima win the Campeonato Colombiano against Atlético Nacional by saving Reinaldo Lenis's and Vladimir Hernández's penalties. Then in 2023, he was decisive again for Millonarios in the Apertura final against Atlético Nacional, stopping Cristian Zapata's and Jarlan Barrera's efforts.
That pattern has continued with Boca. On 30 July, Boca Juniors advanced past O'Higgins on penalties in Rancagua after Montero saved Luis Pavez's shot. On 2 September, Boca again moved on, this time against Vélez Sarsfield at the Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba, with Montero saving two shots in another 4-3 shootout win.
Those numbers give Boca a goalkeeper who has already been comfortable in pressure moments. He has helped his teams advance in every one of the shootouts listed above, and both Boca Juniors tiebreakers ended 4-3.
Why it matters for Vasco
Vasco and Boca Juniors are set for a high-stakes meeting at the Maracanã, and Montero's record is relevant because the possibility of penalties is always part of the conversation in matches like this. If the game is still level after regulation, Boca Juniors can point to a goalkeeper who has already delivered in similar moments.
For Vasco, that means the challenge is not just getting to a shootout, but trying to overcome a keeper who has already turned close games into Boca Juniors victories. For Boca, it is another reason to trust its late-game edge if the match stays tight.
Tuesday's matchup offers the kind of setting where small margins can decide everything. Montero has already shown he can be one of them.
