Fajardo Scores Twice but Gets Injured as His Team is Eliminated from Copa Libertadores

Panamanian forward José Fajardo had a great individual performance this Thursday, scoring two goals for Ecuador's Universidad Católica against Juventud of Uruguay. However, during the celebration of his second goal, the striker slipped on the grass and injured one of his knees during the match corresponding to the first round of the preliminary phase of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. In this way, Juventud de Las Piedras achieved a historic qualification for the second preliminary round of the Copa Libertadores by eliminating Universidad Católica of Ecuador on penalties, with goalkeeper Sebastián Sosa as the hero by saving two spot kicks. For Juventud, Federico Barrandeguy, Alejo Cruz, Ramiro Peralta, and Fernando Mimbacas scored their penalties, while the shot by Gonzalo Gómez was saved by Universidad Católica's Venezuelan goalkeeper Rafael Romo. After a thrilling match, the Uruguayan team, in its debut in the Copa Libertadores, won the penalty shootout in Quito 3-4. Juventud will now have to face Guaraní (Paraguay) between February 17 and 26 in home-and-away matches in the second round of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. Juventud came out on top 3-4 at the Olímpico de Atahualpa stadium in the second leg, having lost the first leg 0-1 in Uruguay, with the aggregate score tied at 4-4. For the Catholic team, Luis Cangá, Byron Palacios, and Gregory Anangonó scored, while the shots of Venezuelan Jhon Chancellor and Jerónimo Cacciabue were saved by Sosa. Fajardo, who scored his first goal in the 7th minute of the match and the second in the 74th, complained of pain and left the match on a stretcher, awaiting medical tests.