Bolívar secured a historic victory over Grêmio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, advancing to the Copa Sudamericana Round of 16 where they will face São Paulo.
After winning the first leg 3-2 in La Paz, Bolívar managed a 1-0 win away, ending a 24-year winless streak in Brazil and marking only their second elimination of a Brazilian team in CONMEBOL tournaments.
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Dairon Asprilla scored the only goal at the 15th minute by beating Grêmio defender Walter Kannemann and calmly finishing past Gabriel Grando, which shifted the momentum in Bolívar's favor despite Grêmio's early possession dominance.
Bolívar’s goalkeeper Carlos Lampe played a crucial role, making several key saves including a standout stop from Gustavo Martins before halftime, preserving the lead and the team's chances of qualification.
In the second half, Grêmio coach Luís Castro introduced three substitutes—Mathías Villasanti, Marlon, and Matheus Nascimento—in an attempt to overturn the deficit, but the team failed to capitalize on created chances.
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Grêmio continued pressing with Gabriel Mec adding unpredictability on the ball, yet they could not overcome Lampe’s strong goalkeeping to score the needed goals.
The match grew tense late on with multiple red cards issued: Erick Noriega and Marlon for Grêmio, and Leonel Justiniano for Bolívar, after a physical confrontation during a substitution.
Martin Braithwaite hit the post deep into stoppage time, but an equalizer would not have been enough for Grêmio, who exited the tournament and face mounting pressure in the Brasileirão relegation battle.
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Grêmio’s elimination leaves them as the only Brazilian team failing to reach the Round of 16 in continental competitions this season, while Bolívar celebrates a landmark achievement and prepares to meet São Paulo next.
