Alianza Lima secured a place in the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals for the first time in 23 years after defeating Universidad Católica de Quito 2-1 on Wednesday. The Peruvian side, which had already claimed a 2-0 win in the first leg, made history by earning its first-ever victory on Ecuadorian soil.

The match began with the hosts on the front foot. Byron Palacios nearly opened the scoring, but his shot was cleared off the line by Guillermo Enrique. Minutes later, Érick Castillo struck the post with a low drive that had goalkeeper Johan Lara beaten.

The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Azarías Londoño put Católica ahead, finishing with a clever touch past Bolivian keeper Guillermo Viscarra after a precise assist from Mauro Díaz.

Alianza responded just before halftime. A perfectly placed ball into the box by Sergio Peña allowed Castillo to level the score with a smart finish in the 39th minute.

In the second half, Católica pushed forward again, but substitute keeper Elías Valencia—who replaced the injured Lara—was eventually beaten. In the 82nd minute, former Católica player Kevin Quevedo sealed the victory for the visitors with a stunning long-range strike into the top corner.

Under the guidance of Argentine coach Néstor Gorosito, Alianza Lima not only broke its 23-year drought at this stage of the competition but also achieved a milestone by winning in Ecuador for the first time in club history.

The Peruvians will now face the winner of the tie between Independiente de Avellaneda and Universidad de Chile in the quarterfinals.