Paraguayan football club Recoleta has achieved a remarkable milestone in the Conmebol Copa Sudamericana, securing an undefeated first-place finish in their group to advance to the round of 16. The team clinched their historic Sudamericana qualification with an incredible away victory against the Argentine giants, San Lorenzo de Almagro.
Playing at the Pedro Bidegain stadium in Buenos Aires, Recoleta delivered a composed performance to win 1-0. The decisive goal came from forward Alan Wlk, ensuring a memorable night for the club in its first-ever international competition. The result marks a significant moment in the team’s history.
A stunning debut on the continental stage
Recoleta, known as El Funebrero (The Undertaker), has made a profound impact in their continental debut. By winning their group with a final tally of eight points, they have progressed to the next stage of the tournament unbeaten. This achievement is made even more impressive by the calibre of the opponents they have left behind in a highly competitive group.
The final standings saw powerful clubs such as Brazil’s Santos and Argentina’s San Lorenzo both finish on seven points. Meanwhile, Deportivo Cuenca of Ecuador finished at the bottom of the group with six points. Recoleta’s ability to navigate such a challenging group without a single defeat highlights the strength and determination of the squad.
Decisive goal seals top spot in Buenos Aires
The pivotal moment of the final group stage match occurred in the 37th minute. Recoleta’s striker, Alan Wlk, found the back of the net to score the only goal of the game, silencing the home crowd at the Pedro Bidegain stadium. This single goal was enough to separate the two sides and rewrite the group’s final outcome, vaulting Recoleta from a potential third-place finish to the coveted first position.
Wlk could even miss a penalty in the final minutes of the game without changing the surprise outcome in Buenos Aires.
Following their Sudamericana qualification, Recoleta will now turn their attention to the round of 16. The club will discover its next opponent during the official Sudamericana draw, which is scheduled to take place this Friday at 12:00. The ceremony will be held at the headquarters of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) in Luque, Paraguay.
Olimpia secures top spot
Paraguay champions Olimpia also finished at the top of their group at the 2026 Copa Sudamericana as winners of Group G and now await their opponent in the round of 16. The team asserted their dominance over Audax Italiano from chile, securing a 3-1 victory in front of an almost capacity crowd at the Defensores del Chaco stadium.
In the second half, Audax Italiano took the lead in the 65th minute through an own goal by Raúl Cáceres, but Olimpia responded quickly. Just five minutes later, Alan Rodríguez restored parity with an excellent strike from outside the area, his left-footed effort sparking wild celebrations.
Solid Sudamericana qualification
Olimpia’s second goal arrived almost immediately. In the 71st minute, Hugo Quintana made it 2-1, finishing a central pass from Raúl Cáceres.The third and decisive goal came in the 74th minute when Fernando Cardozo finished a sweeping move from left to right involving Romeo Benítez.
Following the 3-1 victory for Olimpia, the team topped the group with 13 points, ahead of Vasco da Gama, who advanced to the playoffs. Audax Italiano and Barracas Central, with 7 and 3 points respectively, were eliminated from all international competition.
Libertad 0 for 6, Cerro Porteño to play in Asunción
Paraguay’s Libertad ended their 2026 Copa Libertadores group stage without a single point. A 0-1 defeat to Venezuela’s Universidad Central in their final match sealed a hugely disappointing campaign.
Meanwhile, Cerro Porteño, who have already qualified for the knockout rounds, play their last group stage fixture on the evening of Wednesday 28 May. They host Peru’s Sporting Cristal at home.
