Platense knocks out Coquimbo Unido on penalties to reach Copa Libertadores quarterfinals

A saved penalty, a converted one by the same player, and a club that had never before played in the Copa Libertadores now standing among South America's final eight. That's how simple, and how huge, it was for Platense. The Calamar knocked out Coquimbo Unido 7-6 in a penalty shootout, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg and a scoreless draw in Chile, and now advances to a quarterfinal matchup against none other than Fluminense.

To understand what this means, you have to look back, not far, just fifteen months. Platense won the 2025 Apertura by beating Huracan 1-0, the club's first top-flight title in its 120-year history. Ten days later, Favio Orsi and Sergio Gomez, the coaches who had built that championship team, left the club. That set off a coaching carousel that, against all odds, wound up carrying the team all the way to a continental quarterfinal.

Cristian Gonzalez took over and lasted just 14 matches. Walter Zunino stepped in in November 2025 and led the team through the group stage, where Platense finished second in Group E with 10 points and produced two results still talked about today: a win over Penarol in Montevideo and another over Corinthians in Brazil. Zunino departed in August, following a 4-0 loss to Talleres, just days before the round of 16 was set to begin.

Palermo, the missing piece

That's when Martin Palermo arrived. He already knew the club from Vicente Lopez well and took on the challenge of putting together a continental run almost from scratch. The payoff came fast: he eliminated Coquimbo Unido in a tie that came down to penalties, with Juan Pablo Cozzani at the center of it all. The goalkeeper converted his own attempt, then saved the decisive kick to seal the 7-6 final.

Palermo explained after the match why his team ultimately came out on top:

Today, over the course of the match, we were the ones who dictated the play, especially in the second half.Martin Palermo

And he didn't hesitate to credit the group for the achievement:

I have a really beautiful feeling right now. These guys have earned this, they've been fighting for it for many months.Martin Palermo

The opponent waiting now is on another level. Fluminense also eliminated Independiente Rivadavia on penalties and enters the quarterfinals with recent experience on the big Libertadores stage. The first leg will be played at the Maracana, with the return leg in Vicente Lopez in September, meaning Platense will need to make the most of home advantage in the second match.

Palermo isn't hiding from the difficulty of the matchup, but he isn't backing down either. "We need to keep motivating and pushing these guys for what's ahead. Now we face an opponent like Fluminense," he said, adding a line that sums up the moment: "This, for the club and for us, is historic."

The season backs up that confidence. Platense won in Brazil and in Uruguay during the group stage, survived a brutal round of 16 tie, and came through a penalty shootout away from home. In Brazil, analysts are already picking Fluminense as favorites heading in, which makes sense given the gap in budget and continental pedigree. But if the Calamar manages to pull off the upset, it would face the winner of Palmeiras and LDU de Quito in the semifinals, a scenario that would have seemed unthinkable for this club just a year ago.

Platense has already written a chapter of its history. What remains to be seen is how much more it's willing to add to it.