Universitario vs Nacional

Universitario de Deportes delivered a breathless performance at the Estadio Monumental, beating Nacional 4-2 in a Group B Copa Libertadores rollercoaster. The decisive swing came at the 35th minute, when Nacional's Lucas Rodríguez was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Alex Valera, leaving the visitors down to ten men for the rest of the match. Maxi Gómez had put Nacional ahead from the penalty spot in the 15th minute, but Caín Fara leveled before the break at 41'. Valera then made it 2-1 shortly after half-time, before Maximiliano Silveira equalized again at 70' to keep the visitors' hopes alive at 2-2. Substitute Lisandro Alzugaray broke the deadlock once more with a close-range header at 80', and José Carabalí sealed it deep in injury time, finishing clinically from a Héctor Fértoli assist. Universitario desperately needed this result after collecting just one point from their opening two matches. The victory reignites their knockout stage hopes in Group B. For Nacional, a resilient showing ultimately undone by the red card and two late goals, the path forward is now considerably harder.