- Cusco will host the clash between Cienciano, who knocked out Botafogo, and Montevideo City Torque, who eliminated Tigre.
- Horacio Melgarejo's side will look to extend their positive record against Uruguayan opponents in CONMEBOL knockout ties, having won both of their previous encounters.
A tie between two sides writing new chapters in their history. The 2003 CONMEBOL Sudamericana champions and the only Peruvian club to have won an international title, Cienciano welcome Montevideo City Torque to Cusco, with the Uruguayan club having reached the last eight for the first time just a few weeks ago. Whichever way the tie goes, it will produce either a first-time semi-finalist or Cienciano's return to that stage 23 years later.
Cienciano arrive after one of the most remarkable Round of 16 ties. Their historic 6-1 win over Botafogo at the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega — a hat-trick from Matías Succar, a brace from Neri Bandiera and a goal from Marcos Martinich — was followed by a controlled 1-0 defeat in Rio, leaving their 6-2 aggregate victory beyond doubt. Horacio Melgarejo's side had already eliminated defending champions Lanús with an epic comeback in the Playoffs, and they can rely on Cristian Souza, with five assists in this edition, and Alejandro Hohberg, one of the players with the most involvements in sequences ending in goals in the competition.
Cienciano in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026: results, squad and schedule
Montevideo City Torque secured their place in the last eight through efficiency and a striker in red-hot form. After a 1-0 win in Victoria, they wrapped up their tie against Tigre with a 2-1 victory at the Centenario, courtesy of a Salomón Rodríguez brace. The striker has five goals in the competition, including four in his last four continental appearances. Marcelo Méndez's side have won seven of their nine matches in this CONMEBOL Sudamericana, the highest win percentage recorded by a Uruguayan team in a single edition, with a direct attacking approach that makes them one of the competition's most prolific sides from that route.
The tie brings together the two most effective teams in the Copa when it comes to direct attacks, but also two very different ways of approaching this stage: Cusco, with memories of 2003 still fresh and riding the momentum of their thrashing of Botafogo, against a club founded less than 20 years ago that is already making history. For Cienciano, the objective is to make home advantage and their record count: they have progressed from both knockout ties they have played against Uruguayan opposition. For Torque, it is another opportunity to show that their game plan can work in any setting.
The tie is about to begin: the winner on aggregate will advance to the semi-finals; if the scores are level after the two legs, the tie will be decided on penalties. The second leg will be played in Montevideo next week.
Montevideo City Torque in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026: results, squad and schedule
Match facts:
Stadium: Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Cusco
Date and kick-off time: Thursday 10 September, 19:30
Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
VAR: Pablo Gonçalves (BRA)
The match in numbers:
- Cienciano have progressed from both knockout ties they have played against Uruguayan opponents in CONMEBOL competitions: they defeated Montevideo Wanderers in the qualifying round of the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2008 and Liverpool in the first round of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2009.
- City Torque have won seven of their nine matches in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026 (1D 1L), recording a 78% win rate. So far, this is the highest win percentage achieved by a Uruguayan side (+3 matches) in a single edition of the Copa and the ninth-highest overall.
- The two teams that have scored the most goals from direct attacks so far in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026 will face each other: Cienciano (4) and City Torque (3).
- Salomón Rodríguez has scored four goals in his last four continental appearances for City Torque and has five in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026. Only three Uruguayan players have scored more goals in a single edition of the Copa: Rodrigo Mora (6 in 2010), Agustín Álvarez (10 in 2021) and Gonzalo Mastriani (9 in 2023 and 7 in 2024).
- Cristian Souza has five assists for Cienciano in this CONMEBOL Sudamericana. Since 2013, only two players have registered six assists in a single edition of the Copa: Leonardo Pisculichi in 2014 and Gastón Togni in 2023, both with six.
