29/07/2026 10:27 - Deportes
Diego Dabove's side sealed their place in the Copa Sudamericana 2026 round of 16 despite a 2-1 loss to Nacional de Montevideo at the Estadio José Dellagiovanna in Victoria, Buenos Aires.
The match, played on July 28, 2026, saw Tigre with a comfortable cushion after a 3-0 away win in the first leg at the Gran Parque Central. However, the Uruguayan side fought hard and put the home fans on edge during the first half-hour.
Nacional came out firing and opened the scoring at 11 minutes. The goal came from a glaring error by Gonzalo 'Pity' Martínez, who passed the ball straight to Maximiliano Gómez, the opposing striker, who unleashed a powerful long-range shot that left the goalkeeper with no chance.
The situation worsened at 31 minutes when Maxi Silvera struck first-time to make it 2-0, after a VAR review confirmed he was onside. Nacional dominated and seemed close to leveling the aggregate, but from that point on they rarely troubled the home side again.
The Uruguayan team's control began to fade, and Tigre found their rhythm. At 82 minutes, following a great assist from Nahuel Benegas, Santi López slipped between the defenders and slotted home to give Tigre the emotional calm they needed. The aggregate ended 4-2 in favor of the Argentine side, who advanced to the next stage.
Despite being largely responsible for the opening goal, Gonzalo 'Pity' Martínez was one of the most vocal celebrators after qualification. The midfielder, formerly of River Plate and Huracán, took to social media shortly after the final whistle with a strong message.
"To the round of 16 and screw everyone, Let's go Matador!!!"
With this victory, Tigre will face the surprising Montevideo City Torque in the round of 16. The Uruguayan side finished as the third-best group stage leader, behind only Botafogo and River Plate, and topped Group F ahead of Gremio.
Before the match, security was tightened for Uruguayan fans attending the stadium, who were grouped in the Tecnópolis sector. This operation came after a shooting attack on a bus carrying Tigre supporters the previous week in Uruguay, which left one person injured. Fortunately, no incidents occurred in Victoria.
Sources: ESPN, TyC Sports and AFA Official.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
