Cusco FC is out of Copa Sudamericana as they lost 3-0 to Audax Italiano in Santiago de Chile

Thursday, the 27th of February 2020, 21:30 local time (00:30 UTC), Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago de Chile, first stage of Copa Sudamericana, second leg.

Cusco FC succeeded to win 2-0 the first leg at "home" (actually in Arequipa), but they lost surprisingly 3-0 in Santiago de Chile, therefore Audax Italiano qualified to the next stage of the Copa Sudamericana.

It was a poor performance of the Peruvian side, which only started to play some football when the score was 2-0 or 3-0. In the first half, the Chileans had clearly the upper hand and attacked almost continuously, but the visitors seemed to resist, defending well most of the time. However, a short cross from Jorge Henríquez gave Holgado the opportunity to score with a precise header: 1-0 (40'). The same Argentinian striker, Rodrigo Holgado, had a wonderful shot from a difficult position inside the area, and made it 2-0 (45') right before the break. So, actually the home side needed only the first half to level the terms with Cusco FC.

 Audax Italiano (players in blue) succeeded to qualify against a weak Cusco FC. Source: depor.com

The second half was more balanced. The visitors started to attack, but Holgado's hat-trick was completed after a cross from Orellana on the left side and another scoring header: 3-0 (65'). Cusco FC tried their best in the remaining minutes, they even scored a goal, rightly cancelled for offside, and had a few chances, especially by means of Pósito, but did not score.

Audax Italiano: Devecchi - N. Fernández, Labrin, Bosso, D. Torres (Crovetto 83') - Cabrera, Ledezma - Figueroa (Canales 71'), Henríquez (A. Martínez 45'+4'), Orellana - Holgado. Head coach: Francisco Meneghini.

Cusco: Pretel - Toledo, Paniagua, Vílchez, Céspedes - Delgado, Aranda (Palacios 82') - Carranza (Chávez 46'), Ramúa (Velásquez 90'+2'), Boló - Pósito. Head coach: Javier Arce.

Referee: Augusto Aragón (Ecuador).

Yellow cards: Orellana 78', Torres 83', Holgado 90'+4' - Ramúa 28', Toledo 32'.

For Cusco FC, such a defeat is hard to be accepted. Many considered probably that the team had already qualified to the second stage of Copa Sudamericana before the game even started. Nevertheless, one has to admit that the Chileans were the better side on the whole and they deserved to qualify. Cusco FC needs to concentrate on the Peruvian league, where they are among the last in the classification, and improve the squad urgently.