Nacional prepares in the worst way for the Copa Sudamericana

Nacional's struggles continued as they succumbed to a 1-2 defeat against Montevideo Wanderers, marking another disappointing outing in the penultimate round of the Uruguayan Intermediary Tournament. This result casts a shadow over their preparations for the Copa Sudamericana, compounding a season already fraught with setbacks.

The Tricolor has endured a challenging year, having already lost the Uruguayan Super Cup to rivals Peñarol, fallen in the Apertura Clásico, finished seventh in the Apertura tournament, and changed their coach. The latest loss leaves them with eleven points in Group B of the Intermediary Tournament. A victory for Deportivo Maldonado on Saturday would eliminate Nacional from contention for the final with one match remaining.

Wanderers took an early lead through Luciano Cosentino in the 23rd minute. The situation worsened for Nacional in the second half when their Argentine goalkeeper, Alexis Martín Arias, received a red card. Wanderers capitalized on the numerical advantage, doubling their lead in added time via Joaquín Zeballos. Nacional managed to pull one back through Luciano Boggio shortly after, and a late header from Sebastián Coates narrowly missed the equalizer.

This performance sets a grim tone for Nacional's crucial Copa Sudamericana match against Argentina's Tigre on Tuesday. The team's inconsistent form and defensive vulnerabilities were on full display, raising concerns about their ability to compete effectively on the continental stage.