TOKYO - Despite being reduced to 10 men, Boca Juniors clung on to notch up a narrow win over Etoile du Sahel on Wednesday and progress to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Neri Cardozo scored the only goal eight minutes from the break before Boca were forced to play out the final 25 minutes with 10 men following midfielder Fabian Vargas' sending off for a second bookable offence.
Boca will now play the winner of Thursday's other semi-final between European champions AC Milan and Japan's Urawa Reds, the winners of the 2007 Asian Champions League, at Yokohama International Stadium on Sunday.
Reigning Copa Libertadores champions Boca took the lead after a lifeless opening 37 minutes with their first opportunity of note thanks to a fine finish from Cardozo
Martin Palermo's flick into the left channel sent Rodrigo Palacio in behind the Etoile defence and he held the ball up before sliding his pass into the feet of Cardozo, who slammed his shot into the roof of the net over Aymen Bambouli's head.
With less than a minute remaining in the half Etoile had the chance to pull level only for Amine Chermiti to present Mauricio Caranta with a relatively easy save after being put through by Mohamed Ali Nafkha.
Palacio then almost doubled his side's advantage as the half went into injury time, only for his header to go just wide of Bambouli's left post.
Three minutes after the restart, Gabriel Paletta sent his header just over the Etoile crossbar while at the other end the Tunisians fashioned half-chances through Saif Ghezal, Chermiti and Sabeur Frej that caused Boca few problems.
With 25 minutes to go, however, Boca's task of reaching the final was made all the more difficult when referee Claus Bo Larsen showed a second yellow card to Vargas after the midfielder went into a challenge with his foot at head-height.
Vargas had previously been booked in the 16th minute for a late tackle.
Despite the setback, Boca continued to present a serious scoring threat to the African champions and with 17 minutes remaining they should have doubled their lead but Palermo headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
The Argentinians then had a strong claim for a penalty turned down when substitute Alvaro Gonzalez went down under a challenge from Moussa Narry but Larsen waved for play to continue.
Palacio almost sealed Boca's win in the 87th minute when he latched onto Ever Banega's perfect crossfield ball but his curling shot was inches over the Etoile crossbar.
At the other end Gilson Silva hit the side-netting with a header that could have taken the game into extra-time.
