Del Valle Eliminates Tolima, Sets Quarterfinal With Flamengo

Overview

• Independiente Del Valle qualified for the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals by beating Deportes Tolima 3–1 in Quito on Tuesday to advance 4–1 on aggregate.
• All three Del Valle goals came in the second half and were scored by Daykol Romero, Carlos “Charli” González and Matías Perelló while Junior Hernández scored a late consolation for Tolima.
• CONMEBOL scheduled the quarterfinals for September with the first leg in Ecuador and the return at the Maracanã, and Flamengo earned the right to decide ties at home by having the best group-stage record.
• Del Valle’s altitude and home crowd in Quito plus strong domestic form gave them a clear edge in the tie, while Tolima’s campaign was more uneven and Ibagué sits at a lower altitude.
• The matchup renews a recent rivalry with Flamengo after several notable meetings since 2020, and the long flights to Ecuador or Ibagué—each more than roughly 4,500 km one-way—add a travel burden for the Brazilian side.