- Bolívar defeated Grêmio 3-2 at home in La Paz to make a winning start to their CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 play-off tie.
- The hosts extended their impressive record against Brazilian opposition at home in CONMEBOL competitions, remaining unbeaten in 19 of their 23 such matches, with 14 wins and five draws.
Alejandro Restrepo’s side made home advantage count at the Estadio Hernando Siles, responding each time Grêmio drew level. They will travel to Brazil next week with a lead as the two teams decide who will face São Paulo in the Round of 16.
Bolívar opened the scoring just one minute into the match following a productive combination between Patricio Rodríguez and Martín Cauteruccio. The talented Argentinian delivered a precise cross for the Uruguayan striker, who rose near the edge of the six-yard box and headed the hosts into the lead.
Grêmio responded quickly, but José Sagredo, captain of the Bolivian side, came to the rescue on the goal line to keep out Tetê’s effort after the forward had already beaten goalkeeper Carlos Lampe. The equaliser eventually came through Paraguay’s Matías Villasanti, who capitalised on a defensive error by Ervin Vaca to make it 1-1.
‘Patito’ Rodríguez, a constant threat down the left of Bolívar’s attack, slipped a pass through to Sagredo, whose powerful shot was parried by Weverton in the Brazilian goal. Robson Matheus reacted quickest to the loose ball and turned it in to restore the La Paz side’s lead.
Grêmio drew level again with the help of a fortunate deflection. Tetê struck from outside the penalty area and the ball changed direction, wrong-footing Lampe and leaving him unable to prevent the Brazilian side’s second goal before the drinks break.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Colombia’s Dairon Asprilla — one of the Bolivian side’s new signings, having arrived from Atlético Nacional — scored La Academia’s third goal. He met José Sagredo’s excellent cross and got in front of Argentina’s Cristian Pavón to apply the finish.
After Bolívar’s third, Weverton became increasingly influential and emerged as the most decisive player of the night in La Paz. He first produced a superb save to deny left-back Sagredo before twice coming out on top in demanding duels with Dominican forward Dorny Romero, whose introduction brought fresh energy to the Celestes’ attack.
The tie will be decided on Thursday 30 July at 7pm local time at the Arena do Grêmio in Porto Alegre, with the winners advancing to face São Paulo in the next round.
The match in numbers:
- Bolívar’s Martín Cauteruccio has scored in each of the last eight CONMEBOL competitions he has played in: the Libertadores in 2015, 2016, 2024, 2025 and 2026, and the Sudamericana in 2016, 2025 and 2026. He has also scored in consecutive matches against Grêmio and Independiente Rivadavia after going five games without a goal.
- Bolívar v Grêmio was the first CONMEBOL competition match since River Plate v Independiente del Valle in July 2025 in which both teams scored at least twice before half-time.
- Grêmio’s Tetê has scored in every continental competition he has played in during his career: the CONMEBOL Sudamericana with Grêmio, the UEFA Champions League with Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray, the UEFA Europa League with Shakhtar and Panathinaikos, and the UEFA Conference League with Panathinaikos.
- Since the start of 2025, there have been only four instances of a player recording at least five shots, chances created and successful dribbles in the same CONMEBOL competition match. Bolívar’s Pato Rodríguez was responsible for the two most recent examples: today against Grêmio and in May 2025 against Cerro Porteño.
- Bolívar’s last two victories in CONMEBOL competitions have both come against Brazilian opposition: Grêmio in the Sudamericana and Fluminense in the Libertadores in April.
- Bolívar became only the second team to have three different players register at least five shots in the same CONMEBOL competition match in 2026: Dairon Asprilla, Robson Matheus and Patito Rodríguez. San Lorenzo were the first, against Recoleta in May, through Facundo Gulli, Alexis Cuello and Rodrigo Auzmendi.
- Bolívar generated 4.2 expected goals against Grêmio, the third-highest total recorded in a CONMEBOL competition match in 2026, behind Botafogo’s 6.84 xG against Independiente Petrolero and Flamengo’s 5.00 xG against Cusco.
