Montevideo City Torque defeated Defensor Sporting 1-0 in a Uruguayan derby held on Tuesday at the Centenario Stadium, in the preliminary round of the 2026 South American Cup. According to the Argentine News Agency, the author of the only goal of the match was defender Franco Romero, scoring in the first minute of the second half. Additionally, the other two qualifications of the night were decided by penalty shootouts following scoreless draws: Independiente Petrolero of Bolivia defeated Guabira 3-2, while Academia Puerto Cabello of Venezuela won 5-3 against Monagas. With this victory, in a single preliminary instance of the second continental tournament for teams of the same nationality, Montevideo City Torque secured a place in an international cup for the third time in its history, having participated in the 2021 Sudamericana and falling in the first preliminary round of the 2022 Libertadores. The first chance came from the home team in the 19th minute, with a long-range shot from left-back Facundo Silvera from a few meters from the edge of the area, which was contained by goalkeeper Kevin Dawson. In the 30th minute, midfielder Franco Pizzichillo wasted a free kick on the edge of the area, firing a soft shot that went straight to Dawson. The visitors had no chances until the 34th minute, with a frontal cross from midfielder Mauricio Amaro that allowed Paraguayan attacker Brian Montenegro to head the ball, which fell just behind the crossbar of goalkeeper Franco Torgnascioli, hitting the top of the goal. The clearest chance of the first half was for Torque, in the first minute of stoppage time, with a run through the middle and a shot to the near post by Argentine midfielder Esteban Obregón, which went low and close to the post. In the first minute of the second half, the only goal of the match arrived, with a corner kick to the penalty spot executed by midfielder Gonzalo Montes for Romero's header, who fired a powerful shot against the right post of Dawson, who had no reaction. The visitors came close to equalizing in the 42nd minute, with a central free kick from striker Brian Lozano, which Torque's goalkeeper could have held but deflected the rebound.
