Boca Juniors and Atlético-MG reached the 2026 Copa Sudamericana final with identical 3-2 aggregate wins in the semifinals, but through opposite routes. Boca lost 1-0 at home to Vasco da Gama in Buenos Aires before overturning the tie with a 3-1 victory in Rio de Janeiro. Atlético won 3-0 against Montevideo City Torque in Belo Horizonte and held on despite a 2-0 defeat in Montevideo.
The two semifinals were settled between October 13 and 21. An aggregate score adds each team's goals across both legs; it is not the score of a single match. The order in which those goals were scored, rather than just the final totals, explains why the two qualifications were different.
2026 semifinals: all four results
| Finalist and opponent | First leg | Second leg | Aggregate for finalist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Juniors vs Vasco da Gama | Oct 13: Boca 0-1 Vasco, La Bombonera | Oct 20: Vasco 1-3 Boca, Maracanã | 3-2 |
| Atlético-MG vs Montevideo City Torque | Oct 14: Atlético 3-0 Torque, Arena MRV | Oct 21: Torque 2-0 Atlético, Estadio Centenario | 3-2 |
In both ties, the winning finalist scored all three of their goals in one leg and failed to score in the other. Boca scored its three in the return match, when it needed to overturn a deficit, whereas Atlético scored its three in the opening match, creating a cushion for the away leg. Neither semifinal required a penalty shootout.
Boca Juniors: from home defeat to comeback at the Maracanã
Boca trailed after a 1-0 defeat at La Bombonera on October 13. To progress without a shootout, the Argentine side needed to win the return leg by at least two goals. At the Maracanã on October 20, Lautaro Di Lollo scored in the fourth minute to level the aggregate at 1-1. Miguel Merentiel added a second in the 34th, putting Boca 2-1 ahead across the tie.
Vasco then changed the equation again. Puma Rodríguez scored in the 66th minute, making it 2-1 to Boca on the night and 2-2 on aggregate. In the 88th minute, Leandro Paredes netted Boca's third goal. The 3-1 away win completed a 3-2 aggregate victory. Qualification therefore depended on overturning the first-leg defeat and on a decisive late goal, rather than protecting an advantage established earlier.
Atlético-MG: three goals at home, then an advantage defended away
Atlético built the lead that would decide its semifinal on October 14. Reinier, Bernard and Thiago Borbas scored in a 3-0 win over Montevideo City Torque at Arena MRV. That margin meant the Brazilian club could lose the away leg by two goals and still advance on aggregate.
At Estadio Centenario on October 21, Atlético were reduced to ten players when Alan Franco received a second yellow card in the second half. Kevin Silva and Gary Kagelmacher scored late for Torque, giving the hosts a 2-0 win. The Uruguayan team reduced the gap but could not overturn the three-goal deficit from Belo Horizonte: Atlético still prevailed 3-2 across both matches.
Why do identical 3-2 totals tell different stories?
An aggregate score records a one-goal difference across two legs. It does not reveal who won the return match, where the goals were scored, or when qualification was under threat. Boca finished by winning away by two goals after losing at home; Atlético finished by losing away by two but were protected by their three-goal first-leg home win.
This comparison explains the scoring sequence; it does not establish which finalist performed better tactically or produced more chances. Such a judgment would require comparable match data, with a stated methodology and sample. What the four results do show is clear: one berth was earned through a second-leg comeback, the other through a first-leg lead that proved sufficient.
When is the Copa Sudamericana final?
Boca Juniors and Atlético-MG are scheduled to meet on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia. As of the October 25 review, the kickoff time was not confirmed by the sources consulted for this analysis.
