The 199th edition of Chile’s Superclásico—between Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile—ended with Universidad de Chile emerging victorious early in the Liga de Primera Mercado Libre season. That headline leads a busy week across North and South American football.
Universidad de Chile Wins Superclasico #199
A struggling Universidad de Chile rose up to win 1-0 over Colo Colo in Chile’s Superclásico . The defensive battle was highlighted by a Matias Zaldivia goal from a free kick as the away team came away winners. The biggest game in Chilean football was a cagey affair where the ball often stayed stuck in the midfield.
Botafogo vs Barcelona a Highlight of Copa Libertadores Third Round
The Copa Libertadores third and final qualifying round kicks off this week, with Barcelona SC taking on Brazil’s Botafogo in the most high-profile matchup. Barcelona were beaten over the weekend by Deportivo Cuenca in Liga Ecuabet play, thanks to an incredible volley goal from David Gonzalez.
Barcelona SC previously defeated Argentinos Juniors on penalties, 5-4, after a 1-1 aggregate draw across both legs of the second round. A second-half goal from Jhonny Quiñónez proved decisive.
Botafogo completed their comeback in the third round, winning 2-0 at home to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory over Nacional Potosí. Goals from Danilo and Alex Telles sealed the result.
Elsewhere, Independiente Medellín will face Uruguay’s Juventud after eliminating Liverpool Montevideo. O’Higgins will meet Deportes Tolima, with both sides advancing via penalty shootouts—Tolima against Bahia, and O’Higgins in their own dramatic fashion.
Sporting Cristal of Peru advanced on penalties and will now face Carabobo, following a landmark away victory for the Venezuelan side under hostile conditions in Chile.
Atletico Nacional and Millonarios Feature in Copa Sudamericana
One of Colombia’s national clásicos headlines the opening stage of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, as Atlético Nacional host Millonarios in Medellín. Nacional were beaten by Tolima over the weekend but have been far stronger at home than on the road this season. Millonarios arrive as underdogs despite thumping Deportes Pereira, and at 3-2-4 on the year, will look to upset Nacional’s expensive and well-built squad, currently sitting at 5-0-2.
These single-leg domestic clashes involve clubs from Peru, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. While many matchups feature smaller sides, notable fixtures include América de Cali vs Atlético Bucaramanga, Paraguay’s Nacional Asunción and Olimpia in action, Universidad de Chile against Palestino, and Caracas FC.
Lanus Wins CONEMBOL Recopa
The second leg of the CONEMBOL Recopa for 2026 was a thriller, Argentina’s Lanus emerged as winners 4-2 on aggregate (3-2 on the night) but the game went to extra time. A pair of penalties during regular time saw Flamengo tie the game, with Jorginho converting in the 85th. Lanus did get a goal via Rodrigo Castillo in the first half, one that forced Flamengo to chase the game 2-0 down. In extra time, it was Lanus Jose Canale and Dylan Aquino who scored in the games dying minutes to avoid penalty kicks.
It’s a big upset for Lanus on the road in a game where overall Flamengo had twice as many shots and 77% ball control. On a rainy night in Brazil, it was Flamengo that gave the game away off the Canale header, the home side had been quite wasteful with previous chances.
Lanus won their first ever CONEMBOL Recopa, and keep the trophy in the hands of an Argentinian club as Racing Club were defending champions.
Penarol Wins Uruguay Superclasico
Montevideo’s Gran Parque Central hosted Uruguay’s Superclásico as Nacional welcomed Peñarol. Peñarol claimed their second consecutive derby victory with a narrow 1-0 win, courtesy of a second-half strike from Matías Arezo.
The 23-year-old forward will attract transfer interest while on loan at Peñarol, with his rights owned by Grêmio. Arezo has been a reliable scorer in the domestic league, and Peñarol looked the stronger side overall despite the slim margin in the matchup.
As the country’s two most well-funded and widely supported clubs, Nacional and Peñarol appear poised to once again contest Uruguay’s major honors this season.
Messi’s Free Kick Sparks Inter Miami Comeback vs Orlando
Inter Miami once again showed defensive vulnerability in their second MLS match of the season. Still, having Lionel Messi proved decisive, as Miami rallied for a 4-2 comeback win over Florida rivals Orlando City. It was their second win this week, as they won the rescheduled friendly against IDV of Ecuador 2-1 in Puerto Rico.
Orlando stunned early with two impressive goals at home, but Inter Miami dominated the second half after falling behind 2-0. Mateo Silvetti pulled one back with a spectacular long-range strike in the 48th minute, before Messi found space to level the match. Miami then surged ahead through Telasco Segovia, and Messi sealed his brace with a trademark free kick to make it 4-2.
The rivalry remains heated, with another marquee meeting scheduled later this year in South Florida.
Elsewhere in MLS news, Antoine Griezmann is close to agreeing to join Orlando City from Atletico Madrid, Toronto FC have signed U.S. national team striker Josh Sargent, and MLS clubs continued their dominance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Round of 16 matchups include Toluca vs San Diego FC, LA Galaxy vs Mount Pleasant (Jamaica), LAFC vs Alajuelense, Inter Miami vs Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union vs Club América, Vancouver Whitecaps vs Seattle Sounders, and FC Cincinnati vs Tigres UANL. The only Round of 16 tie without an MLS side features Cruz Azul against Monterrey.
Cruz Azul Tops Liga MX Table, Toluca Beats Chivas
Cruz Azul thrashed a struggling Monterrey Rayados and climbed to the top of the Liga MX table. Rayados were held scoreless at home and have since sacked manager Domènec Torrent after continued poor results. Former club defender Nico Sánchez will serve as interim manager.
Monterrey now face a critical stretch, hosting rivals Tigres in the Clásico Regio on Saturday, March 7, before welcoming Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16—where Cruz Azul are heavily favored.
Toluca scored twice in the first half to beat Chivas, moving ahead of them in the standings and reinforcing their status as title contenders. Despite the return of Luis Romo, Chivas never fully settled after international duty.
Tigres were the other big winners, re-entering the top eight with a dominant 4-1 win over Club América, who are struggling. Juan Brunetta and Ángel Correa were both on the scoresheet as Tigres built momentum ahead of the Clásico Regio.
Mexico’s “B Side” Thrashes Iceland in Friendly
While much of the discussion centered on security and Mexico’s role as a World Cup host, on the pitch El Tri’s “B” side delivered a commanding performance. Mexico were 4-0 winners over an equally experimental Iceland squad. Three of the goals came from Chivas players, with Brian Gutiérrez adding a late finish.
Playing at home, Mexico looked more comfortable than at any point since lifting the Gold Cup, even if the match carried low competitive stakes. El Tri will next face Portugal and Belgium in March friendlies, both expected to feature near full-strength squads. Mexico are now on a three-game winning streak in 2026, their best run since last summer.
Gallardo Leaves River Plate With Uncertain Future
Marcelo Gallardo’s exit at River Plate was not a shock, but the club now faces an uncertain future without him. A 3-1 home win over Banfield served as Gallardo’s farewell, though his second stint produced limited success.
More than 85,000 supporters watched Gallardo bid goodbye as River finally found goals in his honor, but rebuilding will not be easy in a dynamic Argentine season where several clubs are proving capable of challenging the traditional powers. Chacho Coudet from Alaves in Spain’s La Liga is expected to come in as the new manager for River Plate.
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
