The 199th Chilean Super El Clasico was played between Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile, with Universidad de Chile victorious at the beginning of the Free Market League season. The headlines lead up to a busy week for North and South American soccer.

Universidad de Chile wins Super Derby #199

The struggling Universidad de Chile defeated Colo-Colo 1-0 in the Chile Super Derby. Matias Zaldivia’s free-kick goal capped a defensive battle that saw the visitors emerge victorious. The most important game of Chilean football is a cautious one, with the ball often staying in midfield.

Botafogo vs Barcelona are Copa Libertadores third round highlights

The third and final qualifying round of the Copa Libertadores kicks off this week, with Barcelona facing Brazilian side Botafogo in the most high-profile match. Barcelona were beaten by Deportivo Cuenca in Liga Ecuabet at the weekend thanks to an incredible volley from David Gonzalez.

Barcelona had previously defeated the Argentinian Youth Team 5-4 through a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw over the two legs in the second round. Jonny Quiñones’ goal in the second half proved decisive.

Botafogo completed the reversal in the third round, winning 2-0 at home and defeating Potosi Nacional with a total score of 2-1. Goals from Danilo and Alex Telles sealed the result.

Elsewhere, Independiente Medellin will face Uruguayan side Juventus after knocking out Liverpool FC Montevideo. O’Higgins will face Tolimaspor, with both sides advancing through penalty kicks – Tolima against Bahia and O’Higgins advancing in dramatic fashion.

Peruvian Cristal advanced on penalties and will now face Carabobo, where the Venezuelan side achieved a landmark win away from home in hostile conditions in Chile.

Atlético Nacional and Millionaires in Copa Sudamericana

One of the Colombian national team’s matches headlines the opening match of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, with Atlético Nacional hosting FC Millionaire in Medellín. The Nationals were beaten by Tolima over the weekend, but are far better at home than on the road this season. Despite beating Pereira Sporting, the Millionaires are still underdogs and are 3-2-4 on the year, but they are expected to beat the Nationals’ expensive and sophisticated team, which is currently 5-0-2.

These single-leg domestic competitions involve clubs from Peru, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. While many games feature smaller teams, notable games include Cali América vs. Atlético Bucaramanga, Paraguay’s Nacional de Asuncion and Olimpia, Universidad de Chile vs. Palestine, and FC Caracas.

Lanus wins CONEMBOL Recopa title

The second leg of CONEMBOL Recopa 2026 was a thrilling affair, with Lanus of Argentina winning 4-2 on aggregate (3-2 on the night), but the game went into overtime. During regular time, Flamengo equalized the score through two penalty kicks, and Jorginho scored a penalty kick in the 85th minute. Lanus did score a goal through Rodrigo Castillo in the first half to force Flamengo into a 2-0 deficit. In overtime, penalties were avoided with late goals from Lanus Jose Canale and Dylan Aquino.

It was a big upset on the road for Lanus, while Flamengo had twice as many shots overall and had 77% possession. On a rainy night in Brazil, Flamengo broke through the game with Canale’s header. The home team’s previous opportunities were quite wasted.

Lanus won their first CONEMBOL Recopa title and kept the trophy in the hands of the Argentinian club, as Racing Club were the defending champions.

Penarol wins Uruguayan Super Derby title

Montevideo’s Central Park hosts Uruguay’s Super Derby, while Nacional faces Penarol. Matias Areso’s second-half goal gave Penarol a narrow 1-0 win and a second consecutive Derby victory.

The 23-year-old striker will attract transfer interest during his loan spell at Penarol, with his rights owned by Gremio. Arezzo has been a reliable scorer in the domestic league, while Penarol looked the better overall despite having a slight edge in the match.

As two of the country’s best-funded and widely-supported clubs, Nacional and Penarol appear poised to once again compete for Uruguay’s major honors this season.

Messi’s free kick sparks Inter Miami comeback against Orlando

Inter Miami once again showed defensive weakness in their second MLS game of the season. Still, Messi played a decisive role as the Miami Heat came from behind to beat Florida rivals Orlando City 4-2. It was their second win of the week, a 2-1 victory over Ecuadorian IDV in Puerto Rico.

Orlando scored two impressive goals early at home, but Inter Miami dominated the second half after trailing 2-0. Mateo Silvetti pulled a goal back in the 48th minute with a brilliant long-range strike before Messi found space to equalize. Miami then took the lead through Trasco Segovia and Messi scored twice with a trademark free kick to make it 4-2.

The competition remains fierce, with another major conference set to take place in South Florida later this year.

In other MLS news, Antoine Griezmann is close to agreeing to join Orlando City from Atletico Madrid, Toronto FC has signed USMNT forward Josh Sargent and MLS clubs continue to dominate the CONCACAF Champions League.

The top 16 games include Toluca vs. San Diego FC, LA Galaxy vs. Mount Pleasant (Jamaica), LAFC vs. Alajuelense, Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union vs. Club America, Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders, Cincinnati FC vs. UANL Tigers. The only Round of 16 match not involving an MLS team is Cruz Azul against Monterrey.

Cruz Azul tops Liga MX standings, Toluca beats Chivas

Cruz Azul beat struggling Monterrey Rayados to move to the top of the Liga MX table. Rayados were held scoreless at home and fired head coach Domenech Torrent due to continued poor results. Former club defender Nico Sanchez will serve as interim head coach.

Monterrey now face crucial moments as they face arch-rivals Tigres in El Clasico on Saturday, March 7, before hosting Cruz Azul, who is heavily favored for the tie, in the last 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Toluca scored twice in the first half to beat Chivas ahead of them at the top of the table and cement their status as title contenders. Despite the return of Luis Romo, Chivas never quite settled after the international break.

Tigres were another big winner, posting a dominant 4-1 victory over struggling Club America to move back into the top eight. Juan Brunetta and Angel Correa both scored to give Tigres the lead in El Clasico.

Mexico ‘B Side’ beats Iceland in friendly match

While much of the discussion has focused on safety and Mexico’s role as World Cup hosts, on the field, Mexico’s “B” team has excelled. Mexico defeated an equally experimental Iceland team 4-0. Three of the goals came from Chivas players, with Brian Gutiérrez scoring late.

Mexico look more comfortable at home than at any time since lifting the Gold Cup, although the competitive stakes are lower in this game. Ireland next face Portugal and Belgium in friendly matches in March, with nearly full squads expected for both games. Mexico is currently on a three-game winning streak in 2026, its best run since last summer.

Gallardo leaves River Plate with an uncertain future

Marcelo Gallardo’s exit at River Plate was no surprise, but the club now faces an uncertain future without him. A 3-1 home win over Banfield ended Gallardo’s farewell tour, but his second appearance was met with limited success.

More than 85,000 supporters watched Gallardo’s farewell and River Plate eventually found the back of the net for him, but rebuilding won’t be easy in a dynamic Argentinian season with several clubs proving capable of challenging the traditional powers. Chacho Kudai from Spanish La Liga Alaves is expected to become the new head coach of River Plate.

Main photo credit: Smartframe Images