Neri Bandiera's goal was a nail-biter after a VAR review in Cienciano vs Botafogo for the first leg of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana round of 16.

On Thursday, August 13, 2026, Cienciano faced Botafogo in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 at the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega stadium. Matías Succar opened the scoring for Cienciano with a strong header, stepping in effectively to fill the absence of Carlos Garcés under coach Horacio Melgarejo. Succar later added a second goal, bringing his tally to a brace that contributed to a commanding 3-0 lead for the home side.

In addition to Succar's performance, Argentine player Neri Bandiera—recently returning to active play—scored another goal for Cienciano during the match. Bandiera's scoring play involved suspense due to a video assistant referee (VAR) review before it was officially confirmed as part of the team's decisive victory in the opening leg of the regional tournament.