Third consecutive win for UTC Cajamarca, poor start of the season for Cusco FC

UTC Cajamarca 1-0 (0-0) Cusco FC

Marlon de Jesús 78' (penalty)

Friday, 13 February 2026, 3 pm local time (8 pm UTC), Héroes de San Ramón Stadium, Cajamarca, Peru, 3rd round of Apertura, Peruvian First Division (Liga 1).

UTC Cajamarca starting line-up. Photo source: Ale Villena / David Villena (Facebook)

Cusco FC starting line-up. Photo source: Ale Villena / David Villena (Facebook)

UTC Cajamarca was a team which fought to avoid relegation in previous seasons, but it looks like a completely different team this season, fact which is easily provedby their three consecutive wins at the start of the 2026 season. On the other hand, Cusco FC was a team which, last season, fought for the title and came in second place, but this season, despite having the same manager and pretty much the same players, has had an unexpected poor start of the season, with one draw at home against title holders Universitario, and two rather similar defeats (1-0) away at Alianza Atlético de Sullana and UTC de Cajamarca.

The match was intense, but there were few chances. Photo source: UTC Cajamarca Facebook page

UTC Cajamarca dominated most of the match and had most of the goal chances. In the first half, Cusco FC tried to impose their usual play, based on ball possession, but they rarely reached the opposite box. The home side preferred a more direct approach, but their opportunities came mainly from shots from range, rather than well-built actions. Arce had a number of powerful shots (6', 8', 36'), the latter from a free kick close to the box, but goalkeeper Díaz saved without too much trouble.

Abdiel Arroyo (UTC) and Álvaro Ampuero (Cusco FC) in an aerial dispute for the ball. Photo source: UTC Cajamarca Facebook page

The second half was better in terms of actions and chances, but still very boring for the neutral audience. UTC pushed more, Marlon de Jesús' header went slightly wide (58'), and the same happened to the shots of Adolfo Muñoz (67' and 70'). 

Adolfo Muñoz had a couple of good shots, but missed the target. Photo source: Liga de Fútbol profesional - Perú (Facebook page)

The only goal of the game came logically for UTC Cajamarca, which was better, but it was due to a serious error of the referees (VAR included), which awarded a penalty for UTC Cajamarca for a hand ball by Soto (Cusco FC) in his own box that was purely accidental, with the ball initially sent from a corner kick, headed by Marlon de Jesús, and coming from the ground to his hand, which was in a natural position, less than one meter from where the striker hit it (75'). Some may say that this was a sort of "divine justice", given that Cusco FC received a similarly debatable penalty in the previous round, which allowed them to equalize the score (1-1) against Universitario.

Nevertheless, despite revision from VAR, the referee stood by his (wrong) decision, and the penalty was converted by the same Marlon de Jesús: 1-0 (78').

Marlon de Jesús celebrates after scoring the only goal of the match from the penalty spot. Photo source: UTC Cajamarca Facebook page

This proved to be the only and therefore decisive goal of the match. In the final minutes, Cusco FC tried everything to get an equalizer, but failed. Facundo Callejo had a shot (79'), but the greatest opportunity was missed by Nicolás Silva, in stoppage time (90'+2'). In both cases, goalkeeper Campos denied the equalizer for the visitors.

Cusco FC manager Miguel Rondelli tried to change something in this game - the line-up, starting with new players Manzaneda and Soto, which eventually proved to be a wrong decision. Manzaneda, while playing very well in the previous games after coming in, was one of the weakest in this game and the first to be substituted. Soto brought almost nothing in midfield and was the unlucky cause for the penalty which gave UTC the chance to win the game. Cusco FC desperately need a good result to get out of this poor form, and they might get it in the next round, when they have a relatively easy game at home against Comerciantes Unidos.

UTC Cajamarca, on the other hand, are free to dream, given their position almost at the top of the table. They are actually second, despite having the highest possible amount of points, because FBC Melgar with the same points have a better goal difference. Their next game will be away at ADT Tarma, a difficult one.

 UTC: Campos - Garro, Serra, Duarte, Caro (Huerto 82') - Dioses, Arce (Figuera 63') - Camacho (Arroyo 63'), Lliuya, Muñoz (Rasmussen 72') - De Jesús (Ganoza 82'). Manager: Carlos Bustos.

Cusco: Díaz - Ruidías, Fuentes, Gamarra (Silva 81'), Ampuero - Soto, Valenzuela (Tévez 81') - Colitto, Colmán, Manzaneda (Carabajal 65') - Callejo. Manager: Miguel Rondelli.

Referee: Joel Alarcón.

Yellow cards: Dioses 80' - Fuentes 36', Gamarra 53'. 

2025-2026 Egyptian Second Division B, Group 1 B

2025-2026 Egyptian Second Division B, Group 1 B

 

Season	2025-2026
Dates	2 September 2025 – May 2026
Champions
Qualified to play-offs
Promoted
Relegated
Matches played
Goals scored
Biggest home win	Team FC – Mallawi 6-0 (round 4, 29 September 2025) Golden Gate – Media 6-0 (round 9, 10 November 2025)
Biggest away win	Beni Mazar – Sila 0-3 (round 3, 23 September 2025) Tamya – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-3 (round 6, 14 October 2025) Mallawi – El Minya 0-3 (round 8, 28 October 2025) Mallawi – Golden Gate 1-4 (round 10, 18 November 2025) Tamya – Team FC 0-3 (round 11, 25 November 2025) Team FC – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-3 (round 14, 22 December 2025) Tamya – Telephonat Beni Suef 1-4 (round 16, 14 January 2026)
Highest scoring	Team FC – Beni Mazar 6-2 (round 6, 13 October 2025)
Longest winning run	Golden Gate – 6 matches (rounds 6-11)
Longest unbeaten run	Team FC – 13 matches (rounds 1-13)
Longest winless run	Mallawi – 13 matches (rounds 1-13)
Longest losing run	Mallawi – 10 matches (rounds 1-10)

 

Competition details and format

 

The Egyptian Second Division B is the third tier in the Egyptian football system, having been established as such in 2023. The 2025-2026 season is the third season of the Second Division B and is organized by the Egyptian Football Association. Just like in the previous seasons, teams are distributed across six groups, but these have been coupled in larger groups of two, as Group 1 (A and B), Group 2 (A and B), and Group 3 (A and B). The number of teams increased again from 65 to 86, so that four groups include 14 teams and two groups (2 A and 3 B) include 15 teams. Group 1 B was also supposed to have 15 teams, but Asyut Cement had withdrawn before the start of the competition. The teams are distributed according to their geographical location: group 1 (A and B) includes mainly teams from Upper Egypt, group 2 (A and B) – teams from Greater Cairo and the North-East, and group 3 (A and B) – teams from Alexandria and the North-West.

The format for the 2025-2026 season was adjusted from the previous seasons; changes being confirmed in July 2025. While last season the top three classified in each of the six groups qualified for the promotion play-offs, forming three groups of six teams, this season only the top classified team of each group (A and B) will qualify for the promotion play-offs, which will involve head-to-head two-leg decisive matches between the top teams of group 1 (A and B), group 2 (A and B), and group 3 (A and B), respectively. The three winners of these double-leg encounters will be champions of groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and will promote to the Second Division. Teams classified on the bottom four places in each of the six groups are to be relegated to the Third Division.

The competition format was established as a double (home and away) round-robin championship, each team playing all other teams twice, once at home and once away, a total of 26 rounds in most groups. In groups 2 A and 3 B there are also 7 matches in each round, but one team receives a bye in each round, because there are 15 teams in these groups, and therefore there will be a total of 30 rounds. The competition started on 2 September 2025 with matches in group 2 (A and B). In Group 1 B (North Upper Egypt and Giza), the season started on 8 September 2025. The season is scheduled to end in May 2026 with the promotion play-offs. Games in Group 1 (A and B) are played usually on Mondays afternoon, rarely on Tuesdays, and less in other days.

In Group 1 B, the main contenders for promotion are considered the teams from Cairo and Giza area, Team FC and newly-promoted Media and Cascada, along with El Minya, Misr Lel Makkasa, and Telephonat Beni Suef, the strongest teams of the Upper Egypt area in this group. Although newly-promoted teams, Seela and Golden Gate are also expected to compete well. At half-season, Team FC were in top position, unbeaten, three points ahead of El Minya and Cascada in second and third, and six points ahead of Media and Seela, which came in fourth and fifth place respectively.

The fight to avoid the four relegation spots involves most of the other teams. Newly-promoted Naser Mallawi and Naser El Fekreia, along with Beni Mazar, Tamya, and Egypt Stars are among the most vulnerable. At half-season, Mallawi were bottom of the table without a single win, five points behind Beni Mazar and Egypt Stars, all three in relegation position. Tamya and Naser El Fekreia were only four points above them, one above and one below the relegation line.

 

Team changes from the 2024-2025

 

To the Second Division B, Group B

 

Promoted from the Third Division

 

Media

Cascada

Seela

Golden Gate

Naser El Fekreia

M.S. Naser Mallawi

 

Relegated from the Second Division

 

None

 

Transferred from Second Division B, Group D

 

Team FC

 

From the Second Division B

 

Promoted to the Second Division

 

FC Masar

 

Relegated to the Third Division

 

Al Wasta

 

Transferred to the Second Division B, Group A

 

Al Badari

 

Withdrawn before the start of the competition

 

Asyut Cement

 

Teams

 

Note that some of the teams play their home games outside their home town.

 

Team	Home town	Governorate	Stadium	Town	2024-2025
Misr Lel Makkasa	Fayoum	Fayoum	Alassiouty Sport Resort	Beni Suef	3rd in the Second Division B, Gr. B
Team FC	Giza	Giza	Degla Sporting Club	Tura, Cairo	3rd in the Second Division B, Gr. D
Egypt Stars	Al Wasta	Beni Suef	Egypt Stars	Al Wasta	4th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
Telephonat	Beni Suef	Beni Suef	ESCO	Giza	5th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
El Minya SC	Minya	Minya	Minya	Minya	6th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
Fayoum SC	Fayoum	Fayoum	Youth Development	Sheikh Zayed	8th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
M.S. Tamya	Tamya	Fayoum	Al Solaimaneyah	Giza	9th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
Beni Mazar SC	Beni Mazar	Minya	M.S. Matay	Matay	10th in the Second Division B, Gr. B
Naser El Fekreia	Abu Qirgas	Minya	Naser El Fekreia	Abu Qirgas	1st in the Third Division, Group C, promoted
M.S. Naser Mallawi	Mallawi	Minya	M.S. Matay	Matay	2nd in the Third Division, Group C, promoted
Seela	Sila (Seela)	Fayoum	Egypt Stars	Al Wasta	1st in the Third Division, Group D, promoted
Golden Gate	Fayoum	Fayoum	Media	6th of October	2nd in the Third Division, Group D, promoted
Media SC	6th of October	Giza	Media	6th of October	1st in the Third Division, Group D, promoted
Cascada SC	Giza	Giza	Tersana	Giza	2nd in the Third Division, Group E, promoted

 

Geographical distribution of the teams

 

Teams in Group B are located in the governorates of Minya, Beni Suef, Fayoum, and Giza.

 

Location of teams	No. of teams	Name of teams
Fayoum Governorate	5	Misr Lel Makkasa, Fayoum, M.S. Tamya, Seela, Golden Gate
Minya Governorate	4	El Minya, Beni Mazar, Naser El Fekreia, Naser Mallawi
Giza Governorate	3	Team FC, Media, Cascada
Beni Suef Governorate	2	Telephonat Beni Suef, Egypt Stars

 

Round 1 (8-9 September 2025)

 

Misr Lel Makkasa – Team FC 1-1

Cascada – Egypt Stars 1-0

Telephonat – Fayoum 0-0

El Minya – Golden Gate 0-0

Media – Seela 1-0

Beni Mazar – Naser El Fekreia 0-2

Mallawi – Tamya 0-2

 

Round 2 (15-16 September 2025)

 

Seela – Mallawi 3-0

Naser El Fekreia – Telephonat 1-1

Team FC – Media 2-1

Golden Gate – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-1

Egypt Stars – El Minya 0-1

Fayoum – Cascada 1-1

Tamya – Beni Mazar 0-1

 

Round 3 (23-25 September 2025)

 

Mallawi – Media 0-1

Beni Mazar – Seela 0-3

Cascada – Naser El Fekreia 3-1

El Minya – Fayoum 4-1

Misr Lel Makkasa – Egypt Stars 1-1

Golden Gate – Team FC 1-1

Telephonat – Tamya 0-0

 

Round 4 (29-30 September 2025)

 

Seela – Telephonat 0-0

Egypt Stars – Golden Gate 0-0

Naser El Fekreia – El Minya 1-1

Media – Beni Mazar 4-0

Fayoum – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-2

Team FC – Mallawi 6-0

Tamya – Cascada 0-0

 

Round 5 (6-10 October 2025)

 

Beni Mazar – Mallawi 1-0

El Minya – Tamya 1-0

Cascada – Seela 1-1

Egypt Stars – Team FC 1-3

Misr Lel Makkasa – Naser El Fekreia 1-1

Telephonat – Media 0-0

Golden Gate – Fayoum 0-0

 

Round 6 (13-14 October 2025)

 

Naser El Fekreia – Golden Gate 1-2

Media – Cascada 1-2

Mallawi – Telephonat 1-2

Seela – El Minya 0-0

Team FC – Beni Mazar 6-2

Fayoum – Egypt Stars 3-0

Tamya – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-3

 

Round 7 (20-22 October 2025)

 

Fayoum – Team FC 1-2

Telephonat – Beni Mazar 1-0

Misr Lel Makkasa – Seela 0-0

El Minya – Media 0-0

Cascada – Mallawi 3-0

Egypt Stars – Naser El Fekreia 1-1

Golden Gate – Tamya 4-0

 

Round 8 (27-28 October 2025)

 

Naser El Fekreia – Fayoum 1-1

Tamya – Egypt Stars 1-0

Beni Mazar – Cascada 0-1

Seela – Golden Gate 0-1

Team FC – Telephonat 0-0

Media – Misr Lel Makkasa 1-0

Mallawi – El Minya 0-3

 

Round 9 (6-10 November 2025)

 

El Minya – Beni Mazar 2-1

Misr Lel Makkasa – Mallawi 3-1

Fayoum – Tamya 3-0

Naser El Fekreia – Team FC 0-1

Golden Gate – Media 6-0

Cascada – Telephonat 1-0

Egypt Stars – Seela 0-2

 

Round 10 (17-18 November 2025)

 

Telephonat – El Minya 0-1

Media – Egypt Stars 2-1

Tamya – Naser El Fekreia 3-2

Beni Mazar – Misr Lel Makkasa 1-1

Team FC – Cascada 3-2

Seela – Fayoum 2-0

Mallawi – Golden Gate 1-4

 

Round 11 (24-25 November 2025)

 

Fayoum – Media 1-0

Golden Gate – Beni Mazar 2-1

Misr Lel Makkasa – Telephonat 0-1

El Minya – Cascada 2-1

Egypt Stars – Mallawi 2-2

Tamya – Team FC 0-3

Naser El Fekreia – Seela 0-2

 

Round 12 (8-9 December 2025)

 

Media – Naser El Fekreia 2-0

Telephonat – Golden Gate 2-0

El Minya – Team FC 1-1

Beni Mazar – Egypt Stars 0-1

Cascada – Misr Lel Makkasa 1-0

Seela – Tamya 2-1

Mallawi – Fayoum 1-1

 

Round 13 (15-16 December 2025)

 

Misr Lel Makkasa – El Minya 4-0

Fayoum – Beni Mazar 2-1

Naser El Fekreia – Mallawi 1-0

Golden Gate – Cascada 0-1

Team FC – Seela 0-0

Egypt Stars – Telephonat 1-2

Tamya – Media 0-1

 

Table at half-season

 

1	Team FC	13	8	5	0	29-10	29	Qualification to promotion play-offs
2	El Minya	13	7	5	1	16-9	26	*
3	Cascada	13	8	3	2	18-9	26	*
4	Media	13	7	2	4	14-12	23	**
5	Seela	13	6	5	2	15-4	23	**
6	Golden Gate	13	6	4	3	20-8	22
7	Telephonat	13	5	6	2	9-5	21
8	Misr Lel Makkasa	13	5	5	3	17-8	20
9	Fayoum	13	4	5	4	14-14	17
10	Tamya	13	3	2	8	7-20	11	***
11	Naser El Fekreia	13	2	5	6	12-18	11	*** Relegation to the Third Division
12	Egypt Stars	13	1	4	8	8-19	7	****Relegation to the Third Division
13	Beni Mazar	13	2	1	10	8-25	7	****Relegation to the Third Division
14	Naser Mallawi	13	0	2	11	6-32	2	Relegation to the Third Division

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the head-to-head record is the main ranking criterion.

* El Minya ahead of Cascada on head-to-head points: Minya – Cascada 2-1

** Media ahead of Seela on head-to-head points: Media – Seela 1-0

*** Tamya ahead of Naser El Fekreia on head-to-head points: Tamya – Naser El Fekreia 3-2

**** Egypt Stars ahead of Beni Mazar on head-to-head points: Beni Mazar – Egypt Stars 0-1

 

Round 14 (22-23 December 2025)

 

Naser El Fekreia – Beni Mazar 0-0

Team FC – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-3

Golden Gate – El Minya 1-0

Egypt Stars – Cascada 0-0

Tamya – Mallawi 1-3

Seela – Media 3-1

Fayoum – Telephonat 0-1 (played on 29 December 2025)

 

Round 15 (3-5 January 2026)

 

Seela – Mallawi 1-1

Naser El Fekreia – Telephonat 2-1

Cascada – Fayoum 1-0

Misr Lel Makkasa – Golden Gate 1-1

El Minya – Egypt Stars 2-1

Media – Team FC 1-0

Beni Mazar – Tamya 2-1

 

Round 16 (12-13 January 2026)

 

Team FC – Golden Gate 1-0

Media – Mallawi 1-1

Egypt Stars – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-1

Fayoum – El Minya 0-0

Naser El Fekreia – Cascada 0-0

Tamya – Telephonat 1-4

Seela – Beni Mazar 0-0

 

Round 17 (19-21 January 2026)

 

Telephonat – Seela 1-0

Misr Lel Makkasa – Fayoum 1-0

El Minya – Naser El Fekreia 1-0

Beni Mazar – Media 0-2

Cascada – Tamya 1-1

Mallawi – Team FC 1-2

Golden Gate – Egypt Stars 0-0

 

Round 18 (26-27 January 2026)

 

Team FC – Egypt Stars 2-0

Fayoum – Golden Gate 0-2

Naser El Fekreia – Misr Lel Makkasa 0-1

Mallawi – Beni Mazar 3-2

Seela – Cascada 2-2

Media – Telephonat 2-1

Tamya – El Minya 0-2

 

Table

 

1	Team FC	18	11	5	2	34-15	38	Qualification to promotion play-offs
2	El Minya	18	10	6	2	21-11	36
3	Cascada	18	9	7	2	22-12	34
4	Media	18	10	3	5	21-17	33	*
5	Misr Lel Makkasa	18	9	6	3	24-9	33	*
6	Telephonat	18	8	6	4	17-10	30	**
7	Golden Gate	18	8	6	4	24-10	30	**
8	Seela	18	7	8	3	21-9	29
9	Fayoum	18	4	6	8	14-19	18
10	Naser El Fekreia	18	3	7	8	14-21	16
11	Beni Mazar	18	3	3	12	12-31	12	*** Relegation to the Third Division
12	Tamya	18	3	3	12	11-32	12	***Relegation to the Third Division
13	Naser Mallawi	18	2	4	12	15-39	10	Relegation to the Third Division
14	Egypt Stars	18	1	6	11	9-24	9	Relegation to the Third Division

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the head-to-head record is the main ranking criterion.

* Media ahead of Misr Lel Makkasa on head-to-head points: Media – Misr Lel Makkasa 1-0

** Telephonat ahead of Golden Gate on head-to-head points: Telephonat – Golden Gate 2-0

*** Beni Mazar ahead of Tamya on head-to-head points: Beni Mazar 6 points, Tamya 0 points.

 

Round 19 (2-3 February 2026)

 

Golden Gate – Naser El Fekreia

Cascada – Media

Telephonat – Mallawi

El Minya – Seela

Beni Mazar – Team FC

Egypt Stars – Fayoum

Misr Lel Makkasa – Tamya