- Vasco da Gama and Independiente Medellín will decide the tie in Rio de Janeiro after a 2-2 draw in Colombia left everything open.
- The winner will advance to the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16, where Olimpia await.
Everything remains to be decided in Brazil. The 2-2 draw at the Atanasio Girardot left the tie finely poised ahead of the return leg in Rio de Janeiro, where Vasco will look to make home advantage count. The Brazilian side were on top for much of the first leg and created the opening chances, but Independiente Medellín struck late in the first half through John Montaño. El Cruz-Maltino responded just after the restart thanks to an own goal from Joaquín Varela, only for the young Colombian forward to appear again and restore El Poderoso’s lead. Claudio Spinelli then converted after an assist from Cuiabano to secure the final draw.
Both teams underlined their strong form over the weekend. Vasco drew 1-1 with Mirassol, who are preparing for the CONMEBOL Libertadores Round of 16, with Carlos Andrés Gómez scoring the equalizer ten minutes from time. Independiente Medellín, meanwhile, opened their Liga Dimayor campaign with an important 3-2 victory over Pasto, thanks to goals from Jhan Mena, Hayen Palacios and Montaño.
Montaño, in particular, will arrive at São Januário as one of the main threats in Luis Amaranto Perea’s side: he has scored three goals in his last two matches and is coming off the first brace of his career in CONMEBOL competitions. Vasco will have an attacking weapon of their own in Spinelli, who scored the equalizer in Medellín and has been one of the continent’s most prolific forwards since 2025. After an unpredictable first chapter, the return leg promises another closely contested encounter: the winner will advance to the Round of 16, where Olimpia await.
Match details
Stadium: São Januário, Rio de Janeiro
Date and kick-off time: Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Referee: Maximiliano Ramírez (ARG)
VAR: Héctor Paletta (ARG)
The match in numbers:
- Vasco have never lost at home to a Colombian opponent in CONMEBOL competitions (W4 D2). The most recent meeting came in 2001, when they defeated América de Cali 4-1 in the Libertadores Group Stage.
- Independiente Medellín won the only CONMEBOL tie they have ever decided away from home against a Brazilian opponent: it came in the 2016 Sudamericana Round of 16 against Santa Cruz, with the tie finishing 3-3 on aggregate and DIM advancing on away goals.
- Independiente Medellín were one of only two teams to score from a direct attack in the first legs of the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana Playoffs, alongside Boca. DIM scored from their only direct attack of the match against Vasco.
- Since 2025, Claudio Spinelli (Vasco) has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances in CONMEBOL competitions. Only two players have scored more in that span: Álex Arce (12) and Adrián Martínez (11).
- John Montaño is coming off a brace for Independiente Medellín in the first leg of the tie. Since 2013, only six players have scored more than twice in a single CONMEBOL Sudamericana edition before turning 20: Nilson Angulo (three for LDU Quito in 2022), Matheus Martins (three for Fluminense in 2022), Agustín Álvarez (eight for Peñarol in 2021), Thiago Almada (four for Vélez in 2020), João Pedro (three for Fluminense in 2019) and Esequiel Barco (three for Independiente in 2017).
