Cienciano hosts Montevideo City Torque in Copa Sudamericana 2026 quarterfinals

Cusco is gearing up for another big night. Cienciano, the club that has flipped the script of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, hosts Montevideo City Torque this Thursday in the first leg of the quarterfinals, and the city is already buzzing with anticipation.

The match will be played at Estadio Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, kicking off at 9:30 p.m. (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile time) and 7:30 p.m. (Colombia, Peru and Ecuador time). The broadcast will be handled by DSports.

Why does this matchup deserve your attention? Because Cienciano didn't get here by accident. "Papa" is coming off a performance that left more than a few jaws on the floor: a 6-2 aggregate win over Botafogo in the round of 16, no less, to punch its ticket among the tournament's final eight. And the team hasn't let up domestically either, romping to a 5-2 win over FC Cajamarca in the final round of the Clausura. Cienciano arrives with confidence sky high and goals coming easily.

On the other side is a City Torque squad that knows what it means to grind out a qualification. The Uruguayan club eliminated Tigre with a tight 3-1 aggregate in a series that was anything but simple. Domestically, things are also going well: Torque is coming off a 2-1 win over Cerro Largo and currently sits second in the Uruguayan Clausura, just one point off the top. The message for Torque's players under coach Torque is clear: learn from what it cost Lanus and Botafogo to face this Cienciano side, and avoid repeating those same mistakes in Cusco.

The names who could decide the first leg

Up front for the home side, all eyes are on Carlos Garces, the team's top scorer in the competition with four goals. He's closely followed by Alejandro Hohberg, Neri Bandiera and Matias Succar, each with three goals, a trio capable of tipping the balance at any moment. Then there's Cristian Souza, who does more than just create chances: he's the top assist provider in the entire Sudamericana with five assists, the kind of player who forces any opponent to double up on marking. Across the field, Torque counts on Salomon Rodriguez as its star man and leading scorer, with five goals in the tournament, two of them decisive in the return leg against Tigre that sealed qualification. If Cienciano wants to repeat what it did to Botafogo, containing Rodriguez will be one of the key battles of the night.

The second leg will be played in Montevideo, so whatever happens this Thursday at the Inca Garcilaso could end up shaping the entire tie. A strong home result would give Cienciano a valuable cushion to travel with confidence, while a stumble would force Torque to settle everything at home, something that wouldn't be comfortable either given the level Cienciano has shown throughout this Sudamericana.