Abel Hernández comes off the bench and heads in the winner for Peñarol in stoppage time

A header deep into stoppage time, and once again, the same name. Abel Hernández showed up in the 90+2' minute to seal a 2-1 win for Peñarol over Boston River, in a match the Manya came from behind to win in agonizing fashion this Saturday at the Estadio Centenario, in the eighth round of the 2026 Clausura Tournament.

In the mixed zone, la Joya held nothing back about what that goal meant. "It was a nice goal, but what mattered most was that it was worth the three points, which were huge for us," the forward said, making clear that beyond the image of the header, what really counted was the standings.

And the match was anything but easy. Hernández was candid in his assessment of the opponent: "You could tell we were playing a great team, even if they're not getting the results in the Clausura. But it was an organized team that played well, and honestly it was tough for us. Still, we won it fair and square."

The goal, as told by Abel himself

The forward found himself in exactly the right spot. He shook off the marking of Jairo O'Neil to connect with the corner kick taken by Lucas Hernández and send it in off the post. "Once Lucas was about to take it, you know a ball like that can drop anywhere, so the important thing was to move and try to stay as unmarked as possible. Luckily I was able to head it and put it in off the post," he explained.

What's striking is that Abel already sensed his moment was coming. "I came on mentally prepared, I knew I'd get a chance. I kept telling myself that the whole game, and I knew I had to make the most of it, and thankfully we were able to convert," he said, with the calm of someone who trusts his instincts in the box.

Because this isn't the first time coming off the bench has paid off for him. The forward acknowledged as much: "Luckily, every time I've been getting the call to come on, I feel like I've been doing it the right way. It's usually happening in the second half, but you have to stay ready and work as hard as you can to make the most of whatever minutes you get." As for his fitness, which made headlines earlier in the season due to an injury, he sounded upbeat: "Physically I feel good. I had that injury at the start of the year and since then I've played in every match. If we've got everyone available, we have a great squad."

What's next: Montevideo City Torque

With the win already tucked away, Peñarol's focus is quickly shifting to the next match: this Wednesday they'll host Montevideo City Torque in the postponed fixture from the first round. "It's an important match. Torque is having a great tournament, they're coming in on a high, so are we, so I think it'll be a good game and hopefully we can come away with the win," Hernández said.

Before wrapping up, there was time for a more personal moment. Asked about comments from Matilde Carrizo, mother of Argentine player Leonel Jaime, who said Hernández had become the family's "idol," the forward responded with humility.

I'm grateful. That's just who I am. I try to always be in good spirits day to day, to lift up the young guys, and I truly appreciate those words.Abel Hernández