Tigre advances to Copa Sudamericana round of 16 despite home loss

Argentine club Tigre secured their place in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, overcoming a nervy 1-2 home defeat against Uruguay's Nacional thanks to their commanding 0-3 first-leg advantage. The aggregate scoreline finished 4-2 in favor of Tigre, who will now face Montevideo City Torque in the next phase of the competition.

The match at the Estadio José Dellagiovanna, under heightened security following incidents in the first leg, saw Nacional take an early lead. Maximiliano Gómez capitalized on a defensive error in the 11th minute, and Maximiliano Silvero doubled their lead in the 31st minute after a VAR review. These goals fueled hopes for a comeback from the Uruguayan visitors.

Tigre, however, found their footing in the second half. Gonzalo Martínez emerged as a key player, orchestrating the team's attack. Despite an earlier disallowed goal by Santiago López due to an offside call after a VAR review, López ultimately proved decisive. He scored in the 81st minute, assisted by Nahuel Banegas, to net his first goal for Tigre and effectively seal their progression.

With the aggregate score at 4-2, Nacional could not find another way back into the game, even with late substitutions. Tigre focused on managing the clock and celebrating their advancement with their home crowd. The result means Nacional will now concentrate on their domestic league commitments in Uruguay, while Tigre continues their pursuit of the Copa Sudamericana title.

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Tigre suffered but advanced to the round of 16 and will face Montevideo City Torque.