Nacional edges Peñarol in the clásico with a set piece goal and a rock solid defense

The clásico at the Campeón del Siglo left one clear picture: Nacional sat back, shut down every avenue and walked away with all three points off a single corner kick goal. Peñarol, the favorite on paper and playing in front of a packed house, kept running into a low block that never gave them an inch. The final score, 1-0 for the tricolores, left a bitter taste for Los Carboneros, who had been in better form in the league but couldn't show it on the field.

The goal came from a dead ball, exactly the kind of play that tends to decide these matches when the soccer itself isn't flowing. Nacional, with Carreño's side in need of results, did what it had to do: dropped back and managed the lead with discipline. Peñarol tried, but they were missing something as simple as it was decisive: depth. Without space between the lines and with crosses that found no one waiting, Diego Aguirre's team kept hitting the same wall over and over.

Mauricio Lemos, one of the leaders in the yellow and black defense, didn't hide his frustration after the final whistle. The center back was self-critical about the team's performance and admitted they never found a way to crack the opponent's setup.

"We couldn't find that opening to get the goal, and that's how the game ended, they packed it in back there, we tried but we couldn't figure it out"Mauricio Lemos

Lemos also spoke about the weight of playing for a club like Peñarol, where losing a clásico never goes unnoticed. With the Campeón del Siglo packed, the defender felt there was a debt owed to the fans.

"We owe the fans an apology, we're at a big club that demands winning every game, and these games even more. There's nothing to do but apologize and move forward, this can't happen again"Mauricio Lemos

Angulo's take

Luis Angulo, who came on from the bench looking to create width, agreed with the diagnosis: the game got cut short as soon as the goal went in and everything got harder after that. The Colombian revealed the specific instruction Diego Aguirre gave him when he sent him into the match, with the idea of attacking through the flanks against a rival packed into the middle.

"To try to get to the byline and put crosses into the box because Nacional was very compact in the back and the space was out wide"Luis Angulo

The winger also praised the fans' support despite the loss and vowed to turn the page as quickly as possible, which makes sense given how many matchdays remain in the Clausura.

Cerro Largo snaps Liverpool's streak

While the clásico grabbed all the headlines, another story with an open ending played out in Melo. Cerro Largo drew 1-1 with Liverpool at Estadio Antonio Ubilla, halting the perfect run of Jorge Fossati's side, who came in with a perfect record through matchday four.

Los Arachanes gave an early warning: in the 5th minute, a Pandiani volley drew a big save from Bernatene, and almost immediately after, a shot from Assis aiming for the corner put the black and blue goal on alert again. Liverpool didn't create a real chance until the 42nd minute, when a shot from Federico Martínez was denied by a crucial save from Paraguayan keeper González. But the home side answered right away: a minute later, a cross to the far post found the head of Rubén Bentancourt to make it 1-0.

In the second half, Liverpool equalized through a combination between Assis and Franca, who set up Áxel Pandiani for the final 1-1. The result ends a perfect streak, though Liverpool remains unbeaten and among the league's top contenders.