- The 2008 champions defeated Mirassol on penalties after two draws and advanced to the CONMEBOL Libertadores Quarter-finals for the second consecutive edition.
- Gonzalo Valle was decisive throughout the tie and saved the only missed penalty in Quito. Their next challenge will be Palmeiras, the same opponents who eliminated LDU in the 2025 Semi-finals.
Liga de Quito do not need to discover what it means to compete in the CONMEBOL Libertadores: it is part of their identity. The only Ecuadorian club to have lifted the trophy and Semi-finalists in the previous edition, ‘Albo’ are once again among the continent’s final eight after winning Group G and overcoming an extremely tight Round of 16 tie against Mirassol.
LDU and the Brazilian side had already been almost inseparable during the Group Stage: 12 points each, four wins, two defeats and a 2-0 home victory apiece in their head-to-head meetings. The Round of 16 maintained that balance. In Brazil, Mirassol once again took the lead, but Michael Estrada struck late on to secure a 1-1 draw and send the tie back to Quito level.
The second leg was just as evenly matched over 90 minutes. Mirassol created some of the most dangerous chances, but Gonzalo Valle once again responded when Liga needed him most, including a key stoppage-time save from Daniel Borges. The 0-0 draw meant qualification had to be decided from the penalty spot, and the Ecuadorian goalkeeper once again tipped the balance: he saved the opening kick from Victor Luis, while all five LDU takers converted. Fernando Cornejo sealed the decisive 5-4 shootout victory.
The tie reinforced one of the pillars that had already underpinned the team throughout the Group Stage. Valle was decisive both in Mirassol and Quito, confirming his status as one of the standout figures of a campaign in which Liga have repeatedly turned to their goalkeeper in the most demanding moments. Qualification also marked the first knockout tie won by Gustavo Álvarez since taking charge of the club following Tiago Nunes’ departure.
The path now brings a reunion with a chapter that remains fresh in the memory. Palmeiras, who eliminated Cerro Porteño in the Round of 16, will be LDU’s opponents in the Quarter-finals. They are the same side who knocked Liga out in the 2025 Semi-finals after the Ecuadorians won 3-0 in Quito before losing 4-0 in São Paulo. For Valle, the matchup carries an additional personal significance: a ligament injury ruled him out of that tie. One year later, the goalkeeper who guided LDU into the final eight will finally have the chance to play in that unfinished contest.
Liga de Quito in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores: Results and Schedule
Group Stage — Group G
Matchday 1: Always Ready 0-1 Liga de Quito
Gabriel Villamil (90+4’, assist by Michael Estrada).
Matchday 2: Liga de Quito 2-0 Mirassol
Yerlin Quiñónez (6’) and José Quintero (34’, assist by Janner Corozo).
Matchday 3: Lanús 1-0 Liga de Quito
Agustín Cardozo (74’, assist by Marcelino Moreno).
Matchday 4: Mirassol 2-0 Liga de Quito
Lucas Oliveira (47’) and Reinaldo (61’, penalty).
Matchday 5: Liga de Quito 2-0 Lanús
Felipe Peña Biafore (74’, own goal, following a corner taken by Leonel Quiñónez) and Fernando Cornejo (90+1’, assist by Jeison Medina).
Matchday 6: Liga de Quito 3-2 Always Ready
Yerlin Quiñónez (6’), Deyverson (76’) and Deyverson (88’) / Enrique Triverio (18’) and Fernando Nava (39’).
Round of 16
First Leg: Mirassol 1-1 Liga de Quito
Eduardo (15’) / Michael Estrada (82’).
Second Leg: Liga de Quito 0-0 Mirassol
Liga de Quito won the penalty shootout 5-4. Gonzalo Valle saved Victor Luis’ spot kick, and Fernando Cornejo converted the decisive penalty to seal qualification.
Liga de Quito Head Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores: Gustavo Álvarez
The Group Stage campaign belonged to Tiago Nunes: the Brazilian coach was in charge for all six matches and left the team after guiding them to top spot in Group G. His departure on July 16 paved the way for Gustavo Álvarez, who took over with less than a month to work before facing his first CONMEBOL Libertadores knockout challenge.
The 53-year-old Argentine coach arrived in Quito after winning the Chilean Primera División with Huachipato in 2023, the 2024 Copa Chile and the 2025 Chilean Super Cup with Universidad de Chile. Earlier in his career, he had also managed Temperley, Aldosivi, Patronato, Sport Boys, Atlético Grau and San Lorenzo.
His first continental test ended in qualification. Liga drew 1-1 with Mirassol in Brazil and were held again, this time 0-0, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado. The tie had to be decided from the penalty spot, with LDU winning the shootout 5-4 as Gonzalo Valle took centre stage by saving Victor Luis’ attempt. Álvarez therefore came through his first knockout tie in charge and kept the club among South America’s final eight for the second consecutive edition.
The challenge now increases significantly. Palmeiras will be their opponents in the Quarter-finals, in a rematch of the 2025 Semi-final that ended with Liga’s elimination after a 3-0 victory in Quito was followed by a 4-0 defeat in São Paulo. Álvarez inherited a team with considerable international experience and a home record that had been perfect during the Group Stage; after navigating a tight tie against Mirassol, he will now need to maximise those strengths against one of the tournament’s leading contenders.
Full Liga de Quito Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores
Goalkeepers: 1. Gonzalo Valle - 12. Alexis Villa - 22. Alexander Domínguez - 34. Jostin García - 35. Argenis Preciado.
Defenders: 3. Richard Mina - 4. Ricardo Adé - 14. José Quintero - 23. Yerlin Quiñónez - 28. Josué Cuero - 30. Gian Allala - 33. Leonel Quiñónez - 44. Luis Segovia - 67. José Carabalí.
Midfielders: 5. Sebastián González - 8. Jesús Pretell - 13. Janner Corozo - 15. Gabriel Villamil - 18. Washington Olvera - 20. Fernando Cornejo - 21. Ederson Castillo - 24. Jandry Calle - 25. Patrick Ortiz - 26. Iván Zambrano - 31. Juan Rodríguez - 32. Edison Gómez - 37. Jordin Mina - 77. Elvis Velasco - 99. Cristian Tobar.
Forwards: 7. Rodney Redes - 10. Alexander Alvarado - 11. Michael Estrada - 16. Deyverson Brum - 27. Ruddy Mina - 36. Kevin Pineda.
Liga de Quito’s Key Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores: Gonzalo Valle
The goalkeeper remains Liga de Quito’s most consistent pillar in the competition. After playing all six Group Stage matches and keeping three clean sheets, he carried that influence into the Round of 16 and proved decisive in helping the Ecuadorian side overcome Mirassol.
In Brazil, Valle kept Liga in the tie during Mirassol’s strongest spells and prevented the hosts from extending their lead before Michael Estrada’s equaliser. One week later, he delivered again in Quito, including a crucial stoppage-time save from Daniel Borges. The 0-0 draw sent the tie to penalties, where Valle once again made the difference: he saved the opening spot kick from Victor Luis and paved the way for LDU’s 5-4 shootout victory.
Qualification also sets up a particularly meaningful chapter for him. Liga will face Palmeiras in the Quarter-finals, the same opponents Valle was unable to face in the 2025 Semi-finals after suffering a ligament injury just days before the tie. One year later, he returns to the matchup from a very different position: fully recovered, established as a key figure and after playing a major role in taking LDU back into South America’s final eight.
Liga de Quito’s Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores: Deyverson
The Brazilian remains joint-top of Liga de Quito’s internal scoring chart alongside Yerlin Quiñónez, with two goals each. Both of Deyverson’s strikes came at the most delicate moment of the Group Stage and changed the course of the team’s campaign: against Always Ready, he came off the bench with LDU trailing 2-1 and temporarily outside the Round of 16 places, equalised in the 76th minute and then completed the comeback in the 88th.
Deyverson was unable to add to his tally in the tie against Mirassol, but Liga found other ways to advance. Michael Estrada scored in the 1-1 first-leg draw in Brazil and, after a 0-0 draw in Quito, the Ecuadorian side won the penalty shootout 5-4 to reach the Quarter-finals. The 35-year-old forward therefore returns to a stage he knows well, against an opponent with special significance in his career: Palmeiras.
It was precisely with the São Paulo club that he reached one of the highest points of his career. In 2021, he scored the extra-time winner against Flamengo in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Final. He later played for Cuiabá, Atlético Mineiro and Fortaleza before joining Liga in January 2026.
His influence goes beyond his goal tally. Deyverson offers physical presence, hold-up play and experience for matches in which every detail matters. After a tight tie against Mirassol, Liga will now face Palmeiras, the same club with which the Brazilian wrote one of the most important chapters of his continental career.
Liga de Quito’s X-Factor in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores: Yerlin Quiñónez
There is a striking coincidence that sums up his ability to change matches from the outset: both of his Group Stage goals came in exactly the sixth minute. He opened the scoring in the 2-0 win over Mirassol and repeated the feat against Always Ready on the final matchday. Those two goals leave him level with Deyverson as Liga’s joint-top scorer in this edition.
Quiñónez can play as a winger or operate as a wing-back, a versatility that is particularly valuable for Gustavo Álvarez. His pace allows him to stretch the pitch, attack the space behind opposing full-backs and change the team’s attacking height without requiring a structural adjustment. In the Round of 16, he once again showed his ability to create danger from the left: in the first leg against Mirassol, he beat his man and delivered the cross that led to Michael Estrada’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw in Brazil.
Liga eventually came through a tight tie after a 0-0 draw in Quito and a 5-4 penalty shootout victory, and will now face Palmeiras, the same opponents who eliminated them in the 2025 Semi-finals. In a more demanding matchup, Quiñónez’s ability to provide a quick outlet, attack space and turn regains into forward momentum could once again give LDU a different weapon in a tie likely to be decided by fine margins.
Liga de Quito’s History in the CONMEBOL Libertadores
Liga de Quito hold a unique place in Ecuadorian football: they are the only club from the country to have won the CONMEBOL Libertadores. They achieved the feat in 2008 after defeating Fluminense 4-2 in the first leg of the Final in Quito.
The Brazilian side won the return leg 3-1 at the Maracanã, sending the title decider to penalties. That was when José Francisco Cevallos took centre stage, saving three spot kicks to give LDU a 3-1 shootout victory and the first official international title in the history of Ecuadorian football.
That triumph marked the beginning of a continental collection that continued with the 2009 CONMEBOL Sudamericana, the 2009 and 2010 Recopas, and a second Sudamericana title in 2023. With five official international trophies, Liga are the most successful Ecuadorian club beyond their domestic borders.
Recent history has only strengthened their ambition. In 2025, LDU eliminated Botafogo and São Paulo, then defeated Palmeiras 3-0 in the first leg of the Semi-finals to move within touching distance of the Final. The Brazilian side, however, overturned the tie with a 4-0 victory in São Paulo.
One year later, Liga have once again progressed beyond the Round of 16. After a 1-1 draw against Mirassol in Brazil and a 0-0 stalemate in Quito, they prevailed 5-4 in the penalty shootout, with Gonzalo Valle playing a decisive role, to reach the Quarter-finals for the second consecutive edition.
The next chapter brings that 2025 story back into focus. Palmeiras once again stand in Liga’s path, this time in the Quarter-finals. For LDU, it is an opportunity to extend another campaign among the continent’s elite while also meeting again the opponents who ended their run one year ago.
