Uruguayan Juventud de Las Piedras starred in an unforgettable series of preliminary rounds but ultimately fell to Deportivo Independiente Medellín 2-1 away, with a 3-2 aggregate score, after the match they played tonight at the Atanasio Girardot stadium in Colombia, for the third qualifying stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. According to the Argentine News Agency (NA), the goals for the Colombian team were scored by forwards Hayen Palacios in the 20th minute of the first half and Francisco Fydriszewski in the 37th minute of the second, while defender Federico Barrandeguy had equalized the score in the 24th minute with a great free-kick shot. Additionally, the Uruguayan team had to finish the match with a man less after the expulsion of forward Ramiro Peralta in the 44th minute of the second half. Thus, the team coached by Argentine Sebastián Méndez fell just short of an unforgettable qualification to the Copa Libertadores, although its great performance in the tournament's preliminary stages was rewarded: after winning two away series against clubs of the stature of Universidad Católica of Ecuador and Guaraní of Paraguay, the 'Juve' qualified for the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, whose groups will be drawn next Thursday, March 19. The first arrival of the match was from the visiting team in the 9th minute, when forward Agustín Alaniz received on the edge of the area and took a shot that went very close to the right post of goalkeeper Salvador Ichazo. DIM opened the score when 14 minutes of the first half had passed, with a cross from the right for the arrival of winger Hayen Palacios, who made a good jump to put the ball far from goalkeeper Sebastián Sosa, on his left post. In the 20th minute, a free-kick from the left again found Palacios, whose header dipped and was deflected by Sosa, high and on his right post. Juventud de Las Piedras equalized the match in the 24th minute, with a formula known to all 'Juve' fans, with a free-kick on the edge of the area executed by defender Federico Barrandeguy, who slotted the ball into the left corner of Ichazo, who reacted slowly. In added time of the second half, a free-kick to the near post by Barrandeguy was deflected by Ichazo but with a long rebound, which defender Emmanuel Más took advantage of to shoot on the first touch, although his shot hit the crossbar. The first arrival of the second half was from the home team in the 10th minute, with a surge from the left by forward John Montaño, whose shot deflected off a defender and ended up hitting the right post of Sebastián Sosa. Juventud came close again in the 21st minute, with a one-on-one missed by forward Brian Larregui, whose low shot was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 35th minute, forward Francisco Chaverra advanced through the middle and took a good high shot, that would have gone in through Sosa's right post had it not been for the great stretch of the goalkeeper. DIM went back ahead in the 37th minute, with a corner to the far post that allowed an angled header from Argentine forward Francisco Fydriszewski, which went in next to the left post of the Uruguayan goalkeeper. The team coached by Sebastián 'Gallego' Méndez was left with a man less in the 44th minute of the second half, after a tackle from the ground by Argentine forward Ramiro Peralta, which impacted the face of midfielder Halam Loboa. Having concluded its participation in the Libertadores, and leaving great positive records, Juventud de Las Piedras continues to write the best pages of its history and will play the Copa Sudamericana for the second time.
Match Summary: Copa Libertadores 2026. Qualifying Round 3. Second leg match. Deportivo Independiente Medellín (Colombia) 2 - 1 (3 - 2) Juventud de Las Piedras (Uruguay). Stadium: Atanasio Girardot (Colombia). Referee: Juan Benítez (Paraguay). VAR: Ulises Mereles (Paraguay). Deportivo Independiente Medellín: Salvador Ichazo; José Ortiz, Kevin Mantilla, Daniel Londoño; Hayen Palacios, Didier Moreno, Halam Loboa, Diego Moreno, Frank Fabra; Francisco Fydriszewski, Enzo Larrosa.
