Alianza Atlético de Sullana - Cusco FC 1-1 (1-0)
Espinoza 37' - Valenzuela 47'
Thursday, 15 August 2024, 1 pm local time (6 pm UTC), Campeones del 36 Stadium, Sullana, Peru, the 7th round of Clausura, Peruvian First Division (Liga 1).
Alianza Atlético de Sullana starting line-up. Photo source: dechalaca.com
Cusco FC starting line-up. Photo source: dechalaca.com
Interesting clash mid-day in Sullana, between two clubs which were unbeaten in the last four games. The home side, Alianza Atlético, fighting to escape relegation, just came after an essential away win in... Cusco, 1-0 over Deportivo Garcilaso, while Cusco FC, dreaming of a continental competition and even the play-off, recorded four consecutive wins after a rather disappointing start of Clausura. These Cusco FC wins deserve to be mentioned: 3-0 over Sport Huancayo, 2-0 over Deportivo Garcilaso, 3-1 over Sport Boys and 2-1 over Universidad César Vallejo. But one should be aware that all of them were home wins, except for the one against Deportivo Garcilaso, which share the same ground with Cusco FC, so basically they were all obtained on the same field.
Rubén Ramírez (left) and Nicolás Silva (centre) fight for the ball against an opponent. Photo source: dechalaca.com
It was time for Cusco FC to go out of their imperial city and see if they can manage a win as well, in very different climatic differences. To make matters even worse for the visitors, the game kicked off at 1 pm, in full sun.
The match had two completely different halves. The first half was clearly dominated from beginning to the end by the home side. Alianza Atlético was pretty much the only team which attacked and put some pressure, missing many chances to break the deadlock. Santiago Arias scored a beautiful goal in the 23rd minute, but the goal was cancelled after the VAR showed an obvious offside position in the action which preceded the goal.
Santiago Arias (centre) celebrates the goal, but eventually his goal was cancelled. Photo source: dechalaca.com
Alianza Atlético continued their raids in the opposite half, and finally got what they were looking for. Rodrigo Castro took a corner from the right side and Renato Espinoza headed the ball in from the centre of the box, taking advantage also from a mistaken move by goalkeeper Andy Vidal: 1-0 (37'). One should point out that Andy Vidal, despite this mistake, saved his team several times from receiving a goal in the first half.
Renato Espinoza celebrates the goal with his teammates and staff members. Photo source: dechalaca.com
The second half was completely different, it was like a different Cusco FC came onto the field and play. This was visible from the first seconds, and it took less than two minutes to be visible on the scoreboard as well. Oswaldo Valenzuela charged the opposite goal, tried a first shot, which was blocked, the ball came luckily back to him, and tried a second shot from a rather unusual position, but the ball went in, to the left of Diego Melián: 1-1 (47').
Hideyoshi Arakaki (in white, former Cusco FC player, now with Alianza Atlético) tries to penetrate the visitors' defense, under the concerned eyes of Rubén Ramírez (near him), Jonathan Bilbao (back left) and Alan Pérez (back, centre). Photo source: dechalaca.com
Cusco FC were not however happy with the equalizer and wanted more. The second half belonged completely to them, and Iván Colman coordinated very well the charges, distributing balls to the left (especially to Colitto), to the right (to Nicolás Silva) and in front (to Luis Ramos, substituted towards the end by Juan Manuel Tévez). However, goalkeeper Diego Melián made miracles and saved Alianza Atlético from defeat.
The game became rougher in the end, with both teams trying to win. Photo source: dechalaca.com
However, in the final minutes, Alianza Atlético also decided that they want to win this game, and enforced the attack. Nonetheless, the effect was rather the reverse. Alianza Atlético had almost no chances to score the winning goal, while Cusco FC proved to be even more dangerous on the counterattack. In stoppage time, Nicolás Silva missed an enormous opportunity to bring all three points to Cusco.
Alianza Atlético: Melián - C. Vásquez (Mendieta 87'), Villegas, Benincasa, Milesi (Perleche 87') - Illanes, Arias (Arakaki 78') - Canela, Castro, Larios (Siucho 78') - Espinoza (Rebagliati 69'). Manager: Gerardo Ameli.
Cusco: Vidal - Ramírez, Bilbao, Pérez, Zevallos (Guzmán 85') - Valenzuela, Aucca (Cárdenas 78') - Silva (A. Vásquez 90'+4'), Colman, Colitto - Ramos (Tévez 78'). Manager: Miguel Rondelli.
Referee: Kevin Ortega.
Yellow cards: Arias 29', Castro 45' - Pérez 26', Zevallos 29', Ramos 45'+2', Cárdenas 90'+6'.
In the next round, Alianza Atlético has already played and obtained another draw, 0-0 away at Universidad César Vallejo, while Cusco FC will play tonight a very difficult game at home against Universitario de Deportes, the main candidate for the title this year.
Full results, tables and fixtures:
Round 7 (15-18 August 2024)
Alianza Atlético – Cusco FC 1-1
Comerciantes Unidos – UTC Cajamarca 1-1
ADT Tarma – FBC Melgar 1-1
Universidad César Vallejo – Sport Boys 2-2
Universitario de Deportes – Deportivo Garcilaso 3-1
Unión Comercio – Sport Huancayo 0-1
Cienciano – Atlético Grau 1-0
Sporting Cristal – Alianza Lima 0-0
Los Chankas – Carlos A. Mannucci 1-1
Clausura table
|
1 |
Universitario de Deportes |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
14-5 |
14 |
Qualified for the play-offs |
|
2 |
Alianza Lima |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
10-5 |
14 |
|
|
3 |
Cusco FC |
7 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
12-8 |
13 |
|
|
4 |
Sporting Cristal |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
18-8 |
12 |
|
|
5 |
ADT Tarma |
8 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
11-9 |
12 |
|
|
6 |
Alianza Atlético |
8 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
7-6 |
11 |
|
|
7 |
Sport Huancayo |
7 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
6-7 |
11 |
|
|
8 |
FBC Melgar |
6 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
12-8 |
10 |
|
|
9 |
Sport Boys |
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
9-13 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
Cienciano |
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
6-10 |
10 |
|
|
11 |
Atlético Grau |
6 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
7-4 |
9 |
|
|
12 |
Los Chankas |
7 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
10-9 |
9 |
|
|
13 |
UTC Cajamarca |
8 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
8-9 |
9 |
|
|
14 |
Deportivo Garcilaso |
7 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
6-7 |
9 |
|
|
15 |
Universidad César Vallejo |
8 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
9-15 |
5 |
|
|
16 |
Carlos A. Mannucci |
7 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
6-17 |
5 |
|
|
17 |
Unión Comercio |
6 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
4-8 |
4 |
|
|
18 |
Comerciantes Unidos |
6 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5-12 |
4 |
|
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots.
Aggregate table (Apertura + Clausura)
|
1 |
Universitario (AW) |
24 |
16 |
6 |
2 |
46-12 |
54 |
Qualified for the play-offs & CL |
|
2 |
Sporting Cristal |
24 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
62-28 |
52 |
Qualified for the play-offs & CL |
|
3 |
FBC Melgar |
23 |
15 |
3 |
5 |
48-27 |
48 |
Qualified for Copa Libertadores |
|
4 |
Alianza Lima |
24 |
15 |
2 |
7 |
42-21 |
47 |
Qualified for Copa Libertadores |
|
5 |
Cusco FC |
24 |
13 |
3 |
8 |
34-29 |
42 |
Qualified for C. Sudamericana |
|
6 |
ADT Tarma |
25 |
11 |
7 |
7 |
40-33 |
40 |
Qualified for C. Sudamericana |
|
7 |
Cienciano |
24 |
9 |
9 |
6 |
26-30 |
36 |
Qualified for C. Sudamericana |
|
8 |
Los Chankas |
24 |
8 |
6 |
10 |
35-35 |
30 |
Qualified for C. Sudamericana |
|
9 |
Sport Huancayo |
24 |
8 |
6 |
10 |
24-36 |
30 |
|
|
10 |
Sport Boys |
24 |
8 |
5 |
11 |
27-33 |
29 |
|
|
11 |
Atlético Grau |
23 |
6 |
10 |
7 |
26-21 |
28 |
|
|
12 |
Comerciantes Unidos |
23 |
7 |
5 |
11 |
27-43 |
26 |
|
|
13 |
Alianza Atlético |
25 |
5 |
10 |
10 |
18-25 |
25 |
|
|
14 |
UTC Cajamarca |
25 |
6 |
7 |
12 |
29-38 |
25 |
|
|
15 |
Univ. César Vallejo |
25 |
5 |
10 |
10 |
28-39 |
25 |
|
|
16 |
Deportivo Garcilaso |
24 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
26-33 |
23 |
Relegation to Second Division |
|
17 |
Carlos A. Mannucci |
24 |
4 |
7 |
13 |
17-51 |
19 |
Relegation to Second Division |
|
18 |
Unión Comercio |
23 |
2 |
7 |
14 |
21-42 |
13 |
Relegation to Second Division |
AW – Apertura winners
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots.
Round 8 (19-21 August 2024)
Universidad César Vallejo – Alianza Atlético 0-0
UTC Cajamarca – ADT Tarma 1-1
Sport Huancayo – Comerciantes Unidos
Cusco FC – Universitario de Deportes
Alianza Lima – Cienciano
Sport Boys – Carlos A. Mannucci
Atlético Grau – Los Chankas
Deportivo Garcilaso – Unión Comercio
FBC Melgar – Sporting Cristal
