Independiente Medellín clinch final spot in Libertadores group stage | OneFootball

With a 2-1 victory over the brave newcomer Juventud from Uruguay, Independiente Medellín from Colombia secured the last of the four spots for the group stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores this Thursday. The Colombian team joins Barcelona SC (Ecuador), Deportes Tolima (Colombia), and Sporting Cristal (Peru).

The team led by Alejandro Restrepo took to the field to end the dream of the modest Uruguayan club in front of just 12,000 fans, in a completely open series after the 1-1 draw in the first leg.

The plan worked quickly: DIM opened the scoring with a header from Hayen Palacios at 14 minutes, after a rebound battle that left the Pedrense defense poorly positioned.

“It was what we needed (…) It was difficult, especially against Uruguayan teams, but these teams are like that,” said Palacios.

Juventud, with the same courage shown as visitors in previous rounds, pressured the Poderoso and was rewarded ten minutes later with a free-kick from Federico Barrandeguy at 25 minutes, into the top corner — an impossible save for goalkeeper Salvador Ichazo.

The intensity remained high and the duel stayed balanced until the final stretch, suggesting a penalty shootout. But everything changed at 38 minutes of the second half.

After a corner taken by the reinforcement Frank Fabra, the Rojo de la Montaña secured the passport to the group stage with another header — this time from “Polaco” Francisco Fydriszewski.

The 3-2 aggregate destroyed Juventud's dream, which had advanced in the previous two rounds and was one step away from the Libertadores. Still, they will compete in the South American Cup for the second time in their history.

“For me, the qualification is very deserved,” said El Polaco, who dedicated the goal to his mother, undergoing cancer treatment.

With the spot, Medellín practically saves the semester: the club bet everything on the Libertadores and is having a weak national championship, occupying the 16th position with 7 points.

“It was a game of two halves. With the ball, we played very poorly. We need to recognize the merit of a great opponent, whose main virtue is pressing in the rival's field,” admitted the DIM coach.

It will be Medellín's 11th participation, completing a Colombian quartet in the group stage for the first time in five years, along with Tolima, Junior, and Santa Fe.

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Barcelona surprises in Rio

Barcelona de Guayaquil, now led by Venezuelan César Farías and revamped with 18 reinforcements, was the first to qualify this week.

On Tuesday, they delivered the biggest blow of the preliminary phase by defeating Botafogo 1-0 at Nilton Santos, closing the confrontation 2-1 on aggregate.

A goal from Argentine Milton Céliz at 8 minutes ensured the return of the Ídolo del Astillero to the group stage, pushing Fogão to a participation that seems small for its fans: the South American Cup.

Venezuelan goalkeeper José Contreras was the standout of the series, repeatedly preventing shots from the 2024 Libertadores champion.

This will be Barcelona's 32nd participation in the Libertadores, a competition in which they were finalists in 1990 and 1998.

Tolima wins at home and advances

On Wednesday, Deportes Tolima secured their spot by defeating O’Higgins from Chile 2-0 in Ibagué.

Goals from Junior Hernández and Juan Pablo Torres turned the aggregate score to 2-1 and placed the Colombian team in their 11th participation in the tournament, where they made their best campaign in 2010, reaching the quarter-finals.

Cristal advances with struggle

In Lima, Sporting Cristal needed penalties to eliminate Carabobo from Venezuela.

The Peruvian team lost 2-1 in regular time, tied the aggregate at 2-2, and won in the penalty shootout.

The traditional Cervecero, with over 40 participations, has its best campaign as the runner-up in 1997.

The third phase of the Libertadores distributed the four spots for the group stage, which begins on April 7. The eliminated teams move to the main draw of the South American Cup. The draw for both tournaments will be held on March 19.

*By AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.