LIVE! Universidad Católica vs Juventud in the Copa Libertadores on beIN SPORTS

The series remains wide open in Quito as Universidad Católica defends a narrow first-leg lead against Juventud. The decisive qualifier will air LIVE on beIN SPORTS.

LIVE here

The Copa Libertadores qualifying round reaches a decisive moment as Universidad Católica hosts Juventud of Uruguay in the second leg of their playoff series. The Ecuadorian side enters with a 1–0 advantage from the first match, but the margin is slim enough to keep the tie fully alive heading into the return game in Quito.

The Uruguayan club, coached by Sebastián Méndez, arrives determined to overturn the deficit, relying heavily on its attacking weapons, led by forward Agustín Alaniz. Juventud — also known as the Pedrense side — is aiming to deliver a statement result away from home and move forward in continental competition.

Juventud Chasing A Road Comeback

Juventud is making only its second major international appearance in recent years and is looking to improve on past results. Its last notable continental run came in 2015, when it was eliminated by Emelec. This time, the squad believes it is better prepared to compete and apply sustained pressure.

In domestic play, the team comes off a recent loss to Cerro Largo, a match where Sebastián Méndez rotated several starters to keep them fresh for this Libertadores decider. The priority is clearly the international tie.

While Agustín Alaniz remains the primary attacking reference, the comeback attempt will depend on collective intensity and execution.

Universidad Católica Protects Its Edge

On the home side, Universidad Católica is going through one of its strongest recent cycles under head coach Diego Martínez. The club not only qualified for this Libertadores edition but also captured the Copa Ecuador title, boosting squad confidence.

Azarías Londoño will miss the match due to injury, but most of the regular starting core is available. In the first leg, goalkeeper Rafael Romo and defender Jhon Chancellor were decisive — with Chancellor scoring the goal that currently separates the teams on aggregate.

Midfield control from Jerónimo Cacciabue, Mauro Díaz, and Daniel Clavijo has been a key strength, while forwards José Fajardo and Everardo Rose provide the main attacking threat.