- Just as they did a year ago, LDU Quito and Palmeiras once again produced an unforgettable CONMEBOL Libertadores tie.
- The Verdão appeared to have everything under control in Quito, but two goals from Michael Estrada changed the complexion of the contest and forced a penalty shootout.
Just as they did in the Semi-finals of the 2025 edition, LDU Quito and Palmeiras once again produced a thrilling tie in the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026 Quarter-finals. The script was different, but the ending felt strikingly familiar: just as the Ecuadorians appeared to be closing in on a historic qualification, the Verdão responded under pressure to secure their place in the next round at the very last moment. This time, however, Abel Ferreira’s side were made to suffer far more than expected. Even so, they quickly recovered from the blow of their opponents’ dramatic comeback and held their nerve in the penalty shootout to book their place among the final four. They will now face Fluminense for a place in the Final.
Holding a narrow advantage from the first leg in Brazil, Palmeiras travelled to Quito determined to avoid a repeat of the difficulties they had endured on their previous visit to altitude, when a 3-0 defeat forced them to produce a remarkable comeback in front of their own supporters. This time, with a 1-0 lead to protect, the task was different: preserve what they had already earned. And the afternoon in Quito began with a goal that seemed to put them firmly on course for qualification. Nine minutes in, Marlon Freitas opened the scoring after a series of rebounds to extend Palmeiras’ aggregate advantage. Almost immediately, the Brazilian side had managed to find an away goal.
But LDU Quito, as would be the case time and again over the 90 minutes, refused to give in. Five minutes later, they responded through a Luis Segovia header from a corner: the equaliser lifted the atmosphere inside the Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium and left the hosts just one goal away from levelling the tie.
Gustavo Álvarez’s side took the initiative against a Palmeiras team focused on protecting their advantage. Although LDU enjoyed more possession, they struggled to turn that control into clear-cut chances. In that context, Vitor Roque’s introduction in the second half gave the visitors another outlet in attack: the forward converted a penalty to restore Abel Ferreira’s side’s two-goal aggregate advantage. Qualification appeared increasingly secure with every passing minute, but LDU were determined to fight until the very end.
The phrase is meant literally. The 45 minutes of the second half had already elapsed when Michael Estrada met a header that Carlos Miguel managed to save, but the rebound fell back to the forward, who made the most of his second chance to reduce the deficit in the tie. It was the start of a remarkable late surge that, three minutes later, once again had Estrada at its heart: the striker rose highest once more and this time powered an unstoppable header into the net to level the aggregate score, send the home crowd into raptures and force the contest to a penalty shootout.
The mood inside the Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium shifted from anguish to hope in a matter of minutes. LDU had achieved what had seemed improbable: wiping out a two-goal deficit in the closing stages and taking the tie to one final test. Palmeiras, who until then had appeared to have qualification firmly within their grasp, now had to recover from the setback and prepare for a shootout in which everything started again.
That was when Carlos Miguel became the hero of the night. After being beaten twice by Estrada late on, the goalkeeper responded with two saves in the penalty shootout, denying Lucas Rodríguez and Luis Segovia as the Verdão prevailed 4-3. Palmeiras found relief in his hands after a dramatic finish that had put everything they had built over the course of the tie at risk.
For LDU, there was the frustration of elimination after a comeback that kept them alive until the very last moment, another tie in which they dared to dream of qualification only to end the night heartbroken. For Palmeiras, there was the satisfaction of overcoming another demanding test on their road towards 'Eternal Glory', on a night that put their resilience to the test.
The match in numbers
- Palmeiras have reached the Semi-final stage for the 13th time, including editions in which the Semi-finals were played in a group format, and for the sixth time under Abel Ferreira (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026). They are the Brazilian club with the most appearances at this stage.
- Carlos Miguel is the second Palmeiras goalkeeper to save two penalties in a single CONMEBOL Libertadores shootout, after Marcos (three against Sport Recife in 2009, three against Cruzeiro in 2001 and two against Peñarol in 2000).
- Palmeiras have progressed from each of their last five two-legged CONMEBOL Libertadores knockout ties and their last three against Ecuadorian opposition in the competition (Delfín in 2020, LDU Quito in 2025 and 2026).
- Michael Estrada (LDU Quito) became the first player in CONMEBOL Libertadores history to score twice from the 90th minute onwards to overturn a match.
- Five minutes and 44 seconds elapsed between Vitor Roque coming off the bench for Palmeiras (66:41) and scoring from the penalty spot (72:25), making him the second-fastest substitute to score in the knockout stage of the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026 (01:31 for Flamengo’s Lucas Paquetá against Cruzeiro).
- Luis Segovia scored his first CONMEBOL Libertadores goal in his 31st appearance, becoming the first LDU Quito player to score a header in this edition of the competition and the first to do so for the club in a knockout tie since Jhojan Julio against Santos in 2020.
- Marlon Freitas scored his first CONMEBOL Libertadores goal in his 34th appearance, becoming the oldest Palmeiras player to score his first goal in the competition (31 years and 173 days) since Luiz Adriano against Grêmio in August 2019 (32 years and 137 days).
- Palmeiras have scored 10 goals from corners in the knockout stages of the CONMEBOL Libertadores since 2022, at least twice as many as any other team over that period.
- At 20 years and 173 days old, Juanse is the second-youngest player to start for LDU Quito in a CONMEBOL Libertadores Quarter-final, Semi-final or Final in the 21st century, behind only Jordy Alcívar in the 2019 Quarter-finals against Boca Juniors (20 years and 23 days).
