Palmeiras lost to LDU 3-0, this Thursday (23/10), in Quito. One of the good players on the Ecuadorian team in the game was the goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez. Domínguez, currently with 38 yearswas on reserve, but starter Gonzalo Valle suffered a serious knee injury earlier this week.
Alexander Domínguez has a great history with LDU and also with the Ecuador national team. In the match against Palmeiras, he appeared to make a beautiful save from Sosa’s shot in the final stretch of the second half. THE Sporting News tell us more about the number 22 shirt of the Quito team.
Domínguez’s defense in LDU x Palmeiras
In the 37th minute, Sosa received a long throw, came face to face with Domínguez and made a hit. The goalkeeper made an unbelievable save with a cross shot.
DOMÍÍÍÍÍÍÍINNNNNNNGUEZZZZZZZ! What an ABSURD save from the LDU goalkeeper against Palmeiras in the Libertadores!
WATCH LIVE now, LDU x Palmeiras for CONMEBOL Libertadores on #DisneyPlus!#CONMEBOLLibertadores #LDUQuito #Palmeiras #goals #today #LibertadoresNaESPN pic.twitter.com/QJcsjKjl4h
— SportsCenter Brasil (@SportsCenterBR) October 24, 2025
Alexander Domínguez: career and history
Alexander Domínguez Carabalí, known affectionately as “Dida” (a nickname after the Brazilian goalkeeper), was born on June 5, 1987, in Tachina, in the province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Standing 1.95 m tall, the goalkeeper has established himself as one of the most important figures in Ecuadorian football in the last two decades, standing out both for his consistency and for his leadership on and off the field.
Beginning and rise in LDU
Domínguez began his professional career in 2006, defending the Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito. From an early age he showed confidence and refined reflexes, and in 2007 he had a standout season, keeping the goal unbeaten for more than 20 matches. It was with LDU that he built the first major chapters of his career, winning the 2009 Copa Sudamericana and the 2009 and 2010 Recopas Sudamericanas, titles that helped propel the club and the goalkeeper onto the continental scene.
In 2011, Domínguez had outstanding performances in the Copa Sudamericana, especially in the penalty shootout against Libertad, from Paraguay, in the quarter-finals. LDU reached the decision, but ended up defeated by Universidad de Chile. Even so, the goalkeeper established himself as one of the main names in Ecuadorian football.
MORE: LDU: position in the Ecuadorian league, absences and current phase of Palmeiras’ opponents
Passage abroad
His performance caught the attention of clubs outside the country. In 2016, Domínguez was signed by Monterrey, from Mexico, where he debuted in the draw against Puebla, in the first round of that year’s Apertura. The following year, he was loaned to Colón, from Argentina, becoming an absolute starter and a fundamental player in the Santa Fé team.
After the good season, Vélez Sarsfield purchased its federative rights in June 2018. The goalkeeper debuted for the Buenos Aires club in a 2-0 victory over Newell’s Old Boys, in the Argentine Superliga. He stayed at Vélez until 2021, during which time he consolidated his reputation as one of the most experienced goalkeepers on the continent.
Afterwards, he had brief spells at Cerro Largo, in Uruguay, and at Deportes Tolima, in Colombia, where he debuted in January 2022 in the Colombian Championship.
Return to LDU
In July 2022, Domínguez returned to LDU, signing a contract for two and a half years. The reunion with the Quito team resulted in one of the most glorious phases of his career. In the 2023 Copa Sudamericana, he was the great hero of the final against Fortaleza, saving three penalties in the penalty shootout after the 1-1 draw in normal time and extra time.
In the same year, he shone again in the final of the Ecuadorian Championship, against Independiente del Valle, saving two decisive penalties and guaranteeing LDU’s 12th national title. These achievements definitely placed him among the greatest idols in the club’s history.
In September 2024, the goalkeeper renewed his contract until the end of 2026, and in December of that year he lifted the national trophy again, winning his second Ecuadorian championship.
MORE: How high is LDU x Palmeiras? Find out here
Ecuador national team
Domínguez was called up for the first time to the Ecuador national team in 2010 and officially debuted on March 26, 2011. Since then, he has played 78 matches with the tricolor shirt and participated in two World Cups (2014 and 2022), as well as six Copa América.
In the 2014 World Cup, held in Brazil, he started all three group stage matches, standing out especially in the goalless draw against France, when he was named man of the match. He was also part of the squad that represented the country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América in the United States.
Alexander Domínguez: history against Palmeiras
15 years ago, the goalkeeper was on the field the last time the teams faced each other in the Libertadores – and ended up having a difficult night.
In April 2009, in the fifth round of the group stage, Palmeiras hosted LDU at the Palestra Itália Stadium. The alviverde team was already winning 1-0 when the Ecuadorian club’s starting goalkeeper, Francisco Cevallos, was injured and had to be replaced. The reserve called onto the field was Domínguez, still at the beginning of his career.
Bad luck, however, did not take long to appear. In the second half, the young goalkeeper hit a free kick from Diego Souza, and the ball ended up going in, making the score 2-0 for Palmeiras.
With Gonzalo Valle’s injury, LDU should have veteran Alexander Domínguez, 38, as a starter on Thursday.
In 2009, he replaced Cevallos and scored this goal from Diego Souza.
Alviverde won 2-0 at Palestra Itália. https://t.co/Jma3qea0K6 pic.twitter.com/GlomvMOZ2h— Gustavo Soler (@falasoler) October 21, 2025
Alexander Domínguez: market value
The website “Transfermarkt”, a specialist in football market figures, values Alexander Domínguez at 100 thousand euros (R$ 625 thousand).
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