A defeat that still meant qualification
Atlético Mineiro booked their place in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana final even after losing 2-0 to Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay in the second leg of the semifinals. The Brazilian club had built a three-goal cushion with a 3-0 home win in Belo Horizonte, and that first-leg margin proved decisive: the tie finished 3-2 on aggregate in Mineiro's favour. Eduardo Domínguez, the Argentine coach in charge of the team, now takes his side into the decisive match.[S1][S2][S3]
The hosts made the running for long stretches at the Estadio Centenario and created the clearer chances before the break, but goalkeeper Gabriel Delfim kept them out. City Torque pushed again after the interval and their pressure finally told in the closing minutes, when Kevin Silva forced the ball in following a bicycle kick from Juan Quintana, and Gary Kagelmacher then headed a second goal in stoppage time. A third would have sent the tie to penalties, and it never came.[S1][S2][S3]
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Ten men and a nervous finish
Mineiro's evening grew harder when Alan Franco was sent off, leaving the visitors a man short for the closing phase. The Ecuadorian had already been booked and received a second yellow card for an elbow on Diogo Guzman, with referee Cristián Reyes showing him the red. Because of that dismissal he will be unavailable for the final against Boca.[S1][S2][S3]
Boca reached the decider by beating Vasco da Gama 3-1 at the Maracaná, and the Argentine club is coached by Rodolfo Arruabarrena. The single final is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, at the Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, a venue with room for 49,000 spectators and an even split of seating between the followers of both clubs. Conmebol has yet to confirm the kick-off time, though Argentine and regional broadcasts are expected to begin around 17:00.[S1][S2][S3]
