A Night of Glory for El Calamar
Platense wrote a golden page in its history by advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Copa Libertadores, the most prestigious club tournament in South America. In the stadium of Coquimbo Unido, the team coached by Martín Palermo drew 0-0 in regular time and triumphed 7-6 on penalties, a feat that will forever be remembered by its fans.
The second leg, played on August 19, 2026, was tense and even. After a 1-1 aggregate (the first leg had ended 1-1), everything was decided from the spot, where the standout figure was goalkeeper Juan Manuel Cozzani.
The Unexpected Hero
Cozzani, who had already been a key figure in the tie, became the man of the night. His save on the decisive penalty was celebrated as “historic” by sports media. The goalkeeper showed absolute composure, both when taking his own penalty and when holding firm in goal during the most tense moment.
Palermo's Pride
Martín Palermo, a legend and the team's coach, did not hide his emotion after the qualification. “For the club and for us, this is historic,” declared the coach, who led a Platense side that has been surprising on the international stage. The club from Vicente López thus reached the top eight of the continent for the first time in its history.
The Rival: Fluminense
In the quarterfinals, Platense will face Fluminense. The first leg will be played at the Maracanã and the return leg at the Ciudad de Vicente López stadium, where Platense will look to make home advantage count to dream of the semifinals.
Words from the Rival
Diego Sánchez, goalkeeper of Coquimbo Unido, analyzed the elimination with sportsmanship: “It's a shame, we had so much hope. It's hard to make a balance now, but despite this elimination, I think the balance is still positive,” he said in an interview with ESPN.
He added: “We had a tremendous campaign, I'm very emotional because my teammates gave everything, there is nothing to reproach. Penalties are like that, you win or lose, and today we lost.” Sánchez also congratulated Platense: “Congratulations to Platense, a great team, we wish them the best.”
Coquimbo Unido, which was playing in its second Libertadores, now must focus on the domestic league, where its next challenge will be against Deportes Concepción in round 20.
Key Data
- Match: Coquimbo Unido 0 - Platense 0 (penalties 6-7)
- Date: August 19, 2026
- Hero goalkeeper: Juan Manuel Cozzani
- Platense coach: Martín Palermo
- Next rival: Fluminense (first leg at Maracanã, return leg at Vicente López)
Sources: TyC Sports and ESPN