- CONMEBOL selected the best XI from the opening matches of the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16.
- Cienciano, who produced a historic victory over Botafogo, had more representatives than any other club, with four players included.
The first seven Round of 16 first-leg matches in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana delivered comebacks, outstanding individual performances and results that established significant advantages ahead of the return fixtures. Cienciano produced the most emphatic display with their 6-1 victory over Botafogo, while Boca Juniors, Santos, Atlético Mineiro and Montevideo City Torque also took the lead in their respective ties.
Whether through their influence on the game, goals, assists or decisive interventions, eleven players stood out from the rest and earned a place in the best XI from the first legs.
Gastón Olveira (Olimpia)
He was the main reason Olimpia secured a goalless draw away to Vasco da Gama. The Paraguayan side’s captain made seven saves as the Brazilians registered 21 attempts, producing important stops to deny José Luis Rodríguez, David, Nuno Moreira and Johan Rojas. His commanding performance allowed the ‘Decano’ to return from Rio de Janeiro with the tie level and ended the club’s run of six consecutive defeats in Brazil.
Willian Arão (Santos)
He stepped up at the decisive moment to complete Santos’ comeback against Macará. In the 31st minute of the second half, Arão met Neymar’s corner and forced the ball over the line to make it 2-1. Alongside his defensive contribution, his presence inside the opposition penalty area produced the goal that gave the ‘Peixe’ a slender advantage ahead of their trip to Ecuador.
Robert Arboleda (São Paulo)
São Paulo used their aerial strength to take the lead at 3,600 metres above sea level in La Paz. Arboleda beat the Bolívar defence to Iago Borduchi’s corner and headed home the opening goal in the 23rd minute. He also played an important role in resisting the home side’s pressure during the second half. The goal was his fifth for the ‘Tricolor’ in CONMEBOL club competitions.
Marcos Martinich (Cienciano)
The full-back scored one of the finest goals of the week in Cienciano’s historic 6-1 victory over Botafogo. In the 35th minute, he unleashed a left-footed strike from 34.7 metres that flew into the top corner and gave the Peruvian side a four-goal advantage before half-time. It was the fourth-longest-range goal scored across the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana.
Santiago Ascacíbar (Boca Juniors)
He once again demonstrated his ability to make an impact inside the penalty area from midfield. Boca began the second half trailing Recoleta, but Ascacíbar met Sebastián Villa’s cross and equalised with a right-footed finish. The midfielder scored for the fourth consecutive match under Rodolfo Arruabarrena and sparked the quick-fire comeback that allowed the ‘Xeneize’ to turn the game around.
Franco Pizzichillo (Montevideo City Torque)
His tireless movement and ability to influence the game in different areas were crucial to the away victory over Tigre. Pizzichillo dropped deep to help initiate the move before reappearing near the penalty area and taking the shot that deflected off Nahuel Banegas before finding the net. With six goals, he drew level with Gustavo Del Prete as Montevideo City Torque’s all-time leading scorer in CONMEBOL club competitions.
Alejandro Hohberg (Cienciano)
He orchestrated Cienciano’s unforgettable attacking performance. Hohberg provided three assists: he delivered the cross for Matías Succar’s opening goal, set up Martinich before his spectacular long-range strike and released Neri Bandiera through on goal for the fifth. He had never previously registered an assist in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana but produced three in a single night.
Neri Bandiera (Cienciano)
The Argentine forward was one of the main protagonists of the emphatic victory in Cusco. He made it 2-0 after following the move and appearing unmarked inside the penalty area, before completing his brace in the second half by attacking the space and converting Hohberg’s precise through ball. With three goals, he is now among Cienciano’s leading scorers in the current campaign.
Tomás Cuello (Atlético Mineiro)
Atlético Mineiro were withstanding sustained pressure from Red Bull Bragantino when Cuello capitalised on the opportunity that changed the course of the night. In the 28th minute of the second half, he pounced after Cleiton failed to bring the ball under control and made it 1-0. It was his first goal of the current edition and earned the ‘Galo’ an important away victory before the tie is decided in Belo Horizonte.
Matías Succar (Cienciano)
He replaced the suspended Carlos Garcés and responded with a historic performance. Succar scored twice with headers and added another opportunistic finish inside the penalty area to complete the first hat-trick of the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana. He also became the first Peruvian player to score three goals in a single match in the history of the competition.
Leonel Flores (Boca Juniors)
He was one of Boca’s most dangerous players from the opening half and capped his performance with a magnificent goal. After being on the receiving end of the foul that resulted in Wilfrido Báez’s dismissal, Flores collected a pass from Miguel Merentiel and found the top corner with a right-footed strike to make it 3-1. At 19 years and 186 days old, he became Boca’s youngest player to score in the knockout stage of a CONMEBOL club competition since Neri Cardozo in 2004.
