Tuesday, 30 April 2019

First defeat for Juan Reynoso as head coach of Real Garcilaso: 1-0 away at Universidad César Vallejo

In the 11th round of the Peruvian Apertura, Real Garcilaso played away at Estadio Mansiche in Trujillo, against Universidad César Vallejo, on Saturday evening. The home side clearly dominated the entire game, as the tactics that seemed to be chosen by Juan Reynoso, head coach of Real Garcilaso, was to defend well and to try to score on the counter. The counterattacks were so rare, that it looked like a 0-0 was everything the visitors were looking after. However, Real Garcilaso did have two chances to score, one in the first half by Cossío, and one in the second half, by Souza.
However, this ultra-defensive tactic did not pay off because Universidad César Vallejo eventually scored, in the 84th minute. Paradoxically, the goal came after a counter-attack, quickly released by Universidad César Vallejo as their opponents lost the ball in one of the few attacks they had throughout the entire game. Rodas finalized with a shot from inside the area and gave 3 deserved points to the newly-promoted team.

Rodas scored the only goal of the game. Source: ovacion.pe

Real Garcilaso tried hard to equalize in the last minutes of the game, but to no avail.
Universidad Cesar Vallejo:  R. Fernández - Rostaing, Garces, Fleitas, Rodas - Quinteros, Ysique - Medina (72 A. Sanchez), Pacheco (71 Benites), R. Garcias - S. Silva (89 Requena). Head coach: Jose del Solar.
Real Garcilaso: Ferreyra - Arismendi, Robles, Quina, Benincasa, Cossío - Núñez (81 Rengifo), Míguez, Archimabud (62 Joao Ortiz) - Lecaros (46 Souza), Carando. Head coach: Juan Reynoso.
Referee: Augusto Menendez.
After two initial wins, this is the third consecutive disappointing result for Real Garcilaso and the first defeat under head coach Juan Reynoso. The previous two games were an away 0-0 draw to last classified Sport Boys and a home 1-1 draw against Sporting Cristal.
While it is too early to make any "definitive" statements, a few facts are easy to notice. First of all, the starting XI is changed from game to game, especially in the upper part, in midfield and attack. This is partly because of the obvious lack of form of the two strikers, Carando and Rengifo, who were unable to score a single goal in 11 games. On the other hand, Alfredo Ramúa was not used in this game, although he is the all-time goalscorer of Real Garcilaso, and he was often used as a substitute in previous games, by any of the two coaches Real Garcilaso had this season, which raises some questions, because Ramúa is the typical team leader whose shape dictates much of the team's results. To keep a player like him on the bench means that he is either unfit or has some problems, or there is an internal problem of some kind.
Among the other players in the attack, Lecaros is used mainly because it is compulsory to have a player born in 1999 (or later) on the field to play a certain number of minutes ("bolsa de minutos"). His shape is ridiculously weak but the club is also ridiculous for not having any other young player in the roster, so he needs to play, no matter what! A similar requirement is for players born in 1997 or 1998, which is the reason why Núñez is playing every single game. His form is rather fine and he is actually the goalscorer for Real Garcilaso this season with 3 goals, but perhaps other players of this age, like Aucca and Velasquez, should also be given a chance.
Well, the best attacking players of Real Garcilaso are, in my opinion, Cristian Souza and Reimond Manco. When they play, one notices that the team performs better. This is why it is difficult to understand how it is possible for them to be left out of the starting XI. Souza came in at half time replacing Lecaros and his skills were clearly visible. Manco, after an exceptional game against Sporting Cristal last week, was not even on the bench and played for the reserves! This is hard to explain.
It is also difficult to explain why would anyone choose a defensive tactics against Universidad César Vallejo, which is a weaker team, player by player, than Real Garcilaso. Using five full backs in front of a newly-promoted team, when you are supposed to fight for the national title, is also ridiculous.
Real Garcilaso is now fifth in the table. Their next game will be on Monday, the 6th of May, at home in Cusco, against Academia Cantolao.
Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 11 (26-28 April 2019)

Academia Cantolao – UTC 0-0
Sport Boys – Pirata FC 2-1
Sport Huancayo – Carlos Mannucci 2-1
Universidad César Vallejo – Real Garcilaso 1-0
Sporting Cristal – Universitario 1-1
Deportivo Municipal – Ayacucho 2-1
Binacional – Melgar 3-1
Alianza Universidad – Unión Comercio 2-2
Alianza Lima – Universidad de San Martín 1-0

2019 Apertura table

1
Binacional
11
9
0
2
33-12
27
Qualified for the play-off
2
Sporting Cristal
11
7
3
1
18-6
24

3
Universitario de Deportes
10
5
3
2
20-14
18

4
Deportivo Municipal
11
5
3
3
14-14
18

5
Real Garcilaso
11
5
2
4
10-9
17

6
Ayacucho FC
11
4
4
3
17-15
16

7
Universidad César Vallejo
11
5
1
5
14-16
16

8
Alianza Lima
11
4
3
4
18-16
15

9
UTC
11
3
6
2
14-13
15

10
Alianza Universidad
11
3
6
2
11-9
15

11
FBC Melgar
11
4
3
4
12-14
15

12
Academia Cantolao
11
2
6
3
8-8
12

13
Carlos Mannucci
11
3
2
6
14-18
11

14
Unión Comercio
11
2
5
4
8-12
11

15
Sport Huancayo
10
2
4
4
10-15
10

16
Universidad San Martín
11
2
4
5
9-18
10

17
Pirata FC
11
2
3
6
11-16
9

18
Sport Boys
11
1
2
8
3-19
5


Round 12 (3-6 May 2019)

Unión Comercio – Ayacucho
Carlos Mannucci – Alianza Lima
UTC – Deportivo Municipal
Melgar – Sport Huancayo
Universidad de San Martín – Sport Boys
Pirata FC – Sporting Cristal
Alianza Universidad – Binacional
Universitario – Universidad César Vallejo
Real Garcilaso – Academia Cantolao

Thursday, 25 April 2019

MFK Vranov - 1. FK Svidnik 4-3 in the 22nd round of the Slovakian 3. Liga (East Group)

On Saturday, the 20th of April, 1. FK Svidnik played away at second-classified MFK Vranov nad Topl'ou, one of the usual candidates to promotion to 2. Liga. The match was very entertaining and no less than 7 goals were scored and a certain degree of suspense was maintained. Although MFK Vranov controlled the entire game, the visitors succeeded to come back into the game each time the home side seemed to enlarge their difference to 2 goals.
MFK Vranov scored early in the game and they had 2-0 before the 20th minute because of the goals scored by Pavol Bellas (with a header) in the 12th minute and Lukas Kulich (by penalty) in the 18th minute. The visitors concluded a swift counter with a left-footed shot by Stefan Kosc from inside the area: 2-1 (22').
For the rest of the first half and most of the second half, the home side struggled to increase their difference while the visitors defended very well. Both teams had their opportunities - MFK Vranov had many more, but 1. FK Svidnik had a big chance to equalize in the 30th minute.
Goals emerged again towards the end of the game. The home pressure materialized in the 72th minute when Pavol Bellas scored again for 3-1. MFK Vranov could have 4-1 as they missed a few chances and even a goal cancelled for a foul on the goalkeeper. Nevertheless, after an unexpected counter of the visitors, the ball sent by Maksym Losiev's long range shot ended in the net: 3-2 (84').
MFK Vranov attacked again and had a second penalty in the 89th minute, transformed by the same Lukas Kulich: 4-2. Again, the visitors had a response, scoring by means of Aleksei Goncharevich in the stoppage time: 4-3, but it was too late for any other action.
MFK Vranov: Mako - Lukac, Babjak, Bednar (82 Sabol), Straka, Uda Kanu (69 Vozny), Digon, Mihok, Kulich, Bellas (82 Jakubov), Sitarcik (46 Polascik). Head coach: Peter Kosuda.
1. FK Svidnik: Miklus - Ducar (83 Panko), Zapotocky, Rohulskyi, Jacisko - Lipak, Goncharevich, Horbaj, K. Matkobis - Losiev, S. Kosc. Head coach: Alojz Lehocky.
Referee: Oliver Suba.
In the next round, 1. FK Svidnik will play at home against leaders FC Kosice.
Results, table and fixtures:

Round 22 (20-21 April 2019)

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – MŠK Tesla Stropkov 1-0
AŠK Maria Huta – MFK Snina 1-1
FC Košice – FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy 5-0
MFK Vranov – 1. FK Svidník 4-3
FK NOVES Spišska Nová Ves – OŠFK Šarišske Michal’any 2-0
ŠK Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves – FK Družstevník Plavnica 1-1
FK Humenné and TJ FK Vel’ké Revištia did not play.

Table

1
FC Košice
20
19
0
1
64-6
57
Promotion to 2. Liga
2
MFK Vranov
20
15
1
4
52-18
46

3
FK Humenné
19
12
2
5
27-21
38

4
NOVES Spišska Nová Ves
20
11
2
7
25-32
35

5
MFK Snina
20
9
3
8
32-27
30

6
OŠFK Šarišske Michal’any
19
9
1
9
26-21
28

7
MŠK Tesla Stropkov
18
7
2
9
25-24
23

8
1. FK Svidník
19
7
2
10
20-29
23

9
TJ FK Vel’ké Revištia
18
6
4
8
21-23
22

10
Pokrok SEZ Krompachy
19
6
1
12
18-29
19

11
MFK Slovan Giraltovce
19
6
1
12
14-26
19

12
FK Družstevník Plavnica
18
4
4
10
29-35
16

13
M. Bardejovská Nová Ves
19
4
4
11
27-49
16

14
AŠK Maria Huta
20
4
3
13
19-49
15
Possible relegation to 4. Liga

Round 23 (28 April 2019)

FK Družstevník Plavnica – MFK Slovan Giraltovce
MŠK Tesla Stropkov – FK Humenné
OŠFK Šarišske Michal’any – MFK Vranov
1. FK Svidník – FC Košice
TJ FK Vel’ké Revištia – ŠK Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves
FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy – MFK Snina
FK NOVES Spišska Nová Ves and AŠK Maria Huta do not play.