Sporting Cristal - Cusco FC 2-0 (1-0)
Yotún 15' penalty, Zevallos 79' own goal.
Sunday, 21 April 2024, 11 am local time (4 pm UTC), Alberto Gallardo Stadium, Lima, Peru, 12th round of Apertura, Peruvian First Division (Liga 1).
Sporting Cristal starting line-up. Photo source: Club Sporting Cristal Facebook page
Top of the table Sporting Cristal needed to win to maintain this position after the 12th round as well but Cusco FC proved to be a difficult opponent. The beginning of the match already showed a certain balance between the two teams, but this match was meant to explain why a team also needs a certain amount of luck to win.
Less than a quarter of an hour after kick-off, Ávila provided a good through pass to Yotún who was slightly touched by Ramírez and fell to the ground in the box. The referee awarded an easy penalty for Sporting Cristal and the same Yotún converted: 1-0 (15').
Yoshimar Yotún celebrated the goal. Photo source: Club Sporting Cristal Facebook page
This was in fact only the beginning of a lucky match for Sporting Cristal. In fact, Cusco FC dominated most of the remaining minutes in the first half, but were unsuccessful. Towards the end of the half, the chances improved. Colman's shots were either blocked (40') or went slightly wide (44'), and Pérez' header hit the crossbar (41').
After the break, things did not change significantly. Cusco FC goalkeeper Vidal suffered a head injury and the game was stopped for many minutes, and the visitors also had their amount of luck because Vidal was eventually able to continue.
Jonathan Bilbao (Cusco FC, left) and Jhilmar Lora (Sporting Cristal) are chasing the ball. Photo source: Club Sporting Cristal Facebook page
The game resumed, Cauteruccio replaced Ávila for Sporting Cristal (66') and had several good opportunities, but Vidal saved every time. The second goal for Sporting Cristal eventually arrived, but they should not get too much credit for it. Yotún crossed, González tried to push the ball over to Cauteruccio, but Zevallos was in the way and, luckily for Cristal, and unluckily for Cusco FC, he made a terrible touch on the ball, sending it into his own goal: 2-0 (79').
After he came on, Martín Cauteruccio (in blue) was a constant threat for Cusco FC defence. Photo source: Club Sporting Cristal Facebook page
Cusco FC replied almost immediately. An action on the right side led to a cross into the center of the box, and newly-entered Rely Fernández scored (81'). However, the goal was cancelled because the ball allegedly passed over the line before the cross, so a goal kick was awarded. Nevertheless, none of the replays clearly demonstrated that the ball was ENTIRELY beyond that line, and one has seen many optical illusions when looking fron any other angle apart from the one which is most important: the goal line. Unfortunately for the Peruvian VAR, there was no camera on the goal line, and the decision was made according to the images seen from other cameras, from different angles, but none of them perfect.
Sporting Cristal goalkeeper Renato Solís (with the ball in his hands) had some issues with the tall Cusco FC players such as Alan Pérez (right behind him) but maintained a clean sheet. Photo source: Club Sporting Cristal Facebook page
In the final minutes, Cusco FC forced with a second striker in the field (Luis Ramos), Colman had some other shots, while Cauteruccio continued on his mission to miss chances as well. All ended well for Sporting Cristal, which remain top of the table, only one point above Universitario de Deportes.
Sporting Cristal: Solís - Lora, Chávez, Ignacio Da Silva, Pasquini - Yotún (Castro 90'+4'), Pretell (Távara 72'), Gustavo Cazonatti - González (Hohberg 90'+4'), Ávila (Cauteruccio 66'), Grimaldo (Alarcón 66'). Manager: Enderson Moreira.
Cusco FC: Vidal - Ramírez, Bilbao (Cárdenas 90'), Pérez - Valenzuela, Zevallos (Aucca 80') - Silva (R. Fernández 80'), Vásquez (Ramos 87'), Colman, Colitto - Tévez. Manager: Miguel Rondelli.
Referee: Sebastián Lozano.
Yellow cards: Grimaldo 58', Pretell 68', Pasquini 78' - Colitto 37', Zevallos 74'.
Full results, table and fixtures:
Round 12 (18-23 April 2024)
Alianza Lima – Sport Boys 3-0
Unión Comercio – Universitario de Deportes 1-2
Cienciano – Deportivo Garcilaso 0-2
Los Chankas – Sport Huancayo 6-0
Carlos A. Mannucci – UTC Cajamarca 2-0
ADT Tarma – Universidad César Vallejo 1-0
Sporting Cristal – Cusco FC 2-0
Atlético Grau – FBC Melgar 1-2
Comerciantes Unidos – Alianza Atlético 0-0
Apertura table
|
1 |
Sporting Cristal |
12 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
34-12 |
31 |
Qualified for the play-offs |
|
2 |
Universitario de Deportes |
12 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
18-4 |
30 |
|
|
3 |
Alianza Lima |
12 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
26-10 |
24 |
|
|
4 |
FBC Melgar |
12 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
20-14 |
23 |
|
|
5 |
Cienciano |
12 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
17-16 |
20 |
|
|
6 |
Cusco FC |
12 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
14-15 |
20 |
|
|
7 |
ADT Tarma |
12 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
21-20 |
18 |
|
|
8 |
Comerciantes Unidos |
12 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
18-20 |
18 |
|
|
9 |
Atlético Grau |
12 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
12-12 |
14 |
|
|
10 |
Sport Huancayo |
12 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
15-22 |
14 |
|
|
11 |
Los Chankas |
12 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
19-20 |
13 |
|
|
12 |
Alianza Atlético |
12 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
9-12 |
13 |
|
|
13 |
UTC Cajamarca |
12 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
13-15 |
12 |
|
|
14 |
Deportivo Garcilaso |
12 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
15-18 |
11 |
|
|
15 |
Sport Boys |
12 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
11-15 |
11 |
|
|
16 |
Universidad César Vallejo |
12 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
13-20 |
11 |
|
|
17 |
Carlos A. Mannucci |
12 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
10-29 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
Unión Comercio |
12 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
12-23 |
6 |
|
Rules for classification (except for first place): 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots.
A play-off is needed to decide the winner if two or more teams are tied on points on top of the table at the end of the tournament.
Round 13 (26-29 April 2024)
Sport Huancayo – Carlos A. Mannucci
Sport Boys – Unión Comercio
UTC Cajamarca – Atlético Grau
Cusco FC – Cienciano
Alianza Atlético – ADT Tarma
FBC Melgar – Alianza Lima
Deportivo Garcilaso – Los Chankas
Universitario de Deportes – Comerciantes Unidos
Universidad César Vallejo – Sporting Cristal
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