The Uruguayan champions edged their fierce rivals in a tense encounter at the legendary Centenario stadium on Thursday.
Uruguayan champions Nacional advanced to the final of the Copa Antel after edging arch-rivals Penarol 1-0 at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Thursday.

The only goal of the match was converted by Nacional defender Jadson Viera, when he headed home a corner-kick delivered by Alvaro Recoba in the 56th minute.

With the win, Nacional avenged their penalty shoot-out defeat to Penarol in the Copa Bimbo last week.

Both teams fielded full-strength sides to confront the highly anticipated superclasico, the biggest game on the Uruguayan soccer calendar.

The match started at a frantic pace, as both Nacional and Penarol pushed directly to the attack almost straight from the kick-off.

Both sides created several clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities, but neither could break the deadlock, due to the brilliant displays of both sets of goalkeepers, as Leonardo Burian and Fabian Carini, of Nacional and Penarol, respectively, were on top of their game.

Penarol were clearly the stronger of the two sides, but despite consistently dominating possession in Nacional's half, they failed to take advantage of their numerous chances.

Nacional picked up their game after the restart, particularly in the midfield, and surprisingly went ahead in the 56th minute when tall defender Viera connected to a precise corner-kick from Recoba with a powerful header that left Carini with no chance whatsoever.

Penarol didn't throw in the towel though, as they tried their best to draw level, but were continually kept out by Burian, who made a number of exceptional saves throughout the half.

Maximiliano Calzada reduced Nacional to ten-men in the 63rd minute, for a second bookable offence, but despite their greatest efforts Penarol failed to make the most of their numerical advantage.

Nacional will meet Olimpia of Paraguay in the final of the Copa Antel on Saturday, after the Paraguayan champions beat rivals Libertad in the other semi-final.