River Plate endured a tense evening at home before overcoming Libertad on penalties to book their place in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals. After a 1-1 draw in regulation time — following last week’s 0-0 first-leg stalemate in Asunción — the tie went to a shootout, where River triumphed 3-1 in front of over 80,000 fans.

The match saw high intensity from the start. River nearly struck through Giuliano Galoppo early, while Libertad’s Hugo Fernández forced a clearance off the line. The breakthrough came in the 29th minute: a cross from Marcos Acuña led to a header off the bar by Facundo Colidio, and Sebastián Driussi pounced on the rebound to make it 1-0.

Libertad equalized just before halftime, when Robert Rojas met a corner with a clinical header in the 43rd minute.

River’s hopes took a hit in the 52nd minute when Giuliano Galoppo was sent off for a second yellow card. With the man advantage, Libertad pushed forward, coming close through Lorenzo Melgarejo, Lucas Sanabria, and another late effort denied by Franco Armani.

Despite the pressure, River held on and the match went to penalties. Libertad faltered from the spot, while Armani sealed the victory by saving Marcelo Fernández’s final attempt, sparking wild celebrations at El Monumental.

River now face a heavyweight quarterfinal clash with Palmeiras, who cruised past Universitario de Perú 4-0 on aggregate. For Libertad, eliminated after their domestic Apertura title win, the focus shifts back to local competitions.