Group H turned into a one-team demolition show as Peñarol completely dominated the competition from start to finish. The Uruguayan giants won all six matches, scored a staggering 26 goals, and finished with a +20 goal difference to secure one of the most convincing group-stage campaigns of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana.
Peñarol announced themselves immediately with a ruthless 5-1 victory away to El Nacional in Quito and never slowed down. Their attack overwhelmed every opponent, including an 8-0 destruction of El Nacional in Montevideo and a commanding 4-1 away win over Banfield on the final matchday. The decisive result came in Chile when Peñarol defeated Unión La Calera 3-2 in a thrilling encounter that effectively secured top spot before the last two rounds. By the end of the group stage, they looked like genuine title contenders.
Unión La Calera comfortably claimed second place with 12 points and earned a berth in the knockout round playoffs. The Chilean side proved to be the only club capable of consistently competing with Peñarol, sweeping Banfield in both meetings and crushing El Nacional 5-1 on the final day. Their inability to contain Peñarol in the head-to-head matches ultimately kept them from winning the group, but their attacking football made them one of the more entertaining runners-up in the tournament.
Banfield showed flashes of quality but lacked consistency. The Argentine club produced impressive wins over El Nacional, including a dominant 5-1 result in Ecuador, yet struggled badly against the group’s top two sides. Heavy defeats to Peñarol and a damaging home loss to Unión La Calera left them third with six points and out of continental competition.
For El Nacional, the campaign quickly became a nightmare. Six losses from six matches, only five goals scored, and 30 conceded told the story of a side completely overwhelmed by the level of competition. Their defensive collapse against Peñarol became one of the worst results of the entire Sudamericana group stage.
Final Standings:
- Peñarol — 18 pts (qualified to Round of 16)
- Unión La Calera — 12 pts (qualified to knockout playoffs)
- Banfield — 6 pts
- El Nacional — 0 pts
Group H ultimately belonged to Peñarol, whose unbeaten and high-scoring run made a statement to the rest of South America that they intend to compete deep into the knockout rounds.
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