In an emotional night at the Monumental Stadium, Universitario de Deportes pulled off a memorable feat by earning a 1-1 draw against River Plate in Buenos Aires. The result secured their spot in the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 for the first time in 15 years.

The Peruvian side, coached by Jorge Fossati, finished second in Group B with 8 points, tied with Independiente del Valle but with a superior goal difference, which granted them qualification. River Plate, already qualified before kickoff, ended the group stage as leader with 12 points. However, the draw prevented them from becoming one of the best group winners and securing home advantage in the knockout stage.

Universitario Seals Heroic Draw and Historic Qualification Against River Plate

The first half saw River Plate dominate from the start. With high pressing and several scoring chances led by the energetic Franco Mastantuono, the Argentine side looked poised to take control. However, Sebastián Britos stood tall in goal for the visitors, making crucial saves, although a rare error from him led to Facundo Colidio scoring the opener in the 36th minute.

Just when it seemed River Plate would head into the break with the lead, Germán Pezzella committed a foul near the box. In stoppage time, Jairo Concha took a clever free kick that caught Franco Armani off guard, leveling the match at 1-1.

In the second half, River pushed forward, driven by their fans in search of a win, but they struggled to break down a well-organized Peruvian defense. Despite their efforts, Martín Demichelis’ team lacked sharpness in the final third and were left frustrated by a result that denied them a strategic advantage in the next round.

On the other hand, Universitario not only celebrated the draw but also a long-awaited return to the Libertadores knockout rounds. The Lima-based club currently shares the lead in the Peruvian league with Alianza Lima, and now looks forward to continuing its continental journey with renewed confidence.

The group concluded with Independiente del Valle defeating Barcelona SC 2-1, sending the Ecuadorians to the Copa Sudamericana playoff round, while the Ecuadorian club from Guayaquil bowed out of all international competition.

Now, the Peruvian giants await their next opponent in the Round of 16, dreaming of continuing to write golden pages in their football history.