Sport Huancayo won 3-2 over Cusco FC in the fifth round of the Peruvian Apertura

Monday, the 2nd of March 2020, 20:00 local time (1:00 am Tuesday UTC), Huancayo Stadium, Huancayo, Peru, the 5th round of the Peruvian Liga 1 (Apertura).

A new defeat for Cusco FC, the fourth one in five matches in the Peruvian Liga 1, and the team continues to stay in the relegation area of the table. This result comes right after they were kicked out of the Copa Sudamericana, as they lost 3-0 to Chilean side Audax Italiano, despite winning 2-0 in Peru. So indeed, a poor period and a poor performance by Cusco FC, as they were defeated much more clearly than the final score, 3-2, might indicate.

 Carlos Neumann (in red) scored the first goal with a beautiful header. Source: Diario Correo.

Sport Huancayo dominated and controlled most of the game. In the first half, the Paraguayan striker Carlos Neumann had several chances and eventually scored, with a great header after a cross from the left side by Ángeles: 1-0 (21'). Cusco equalized rather quickly: Ramúa sent a ball in the area, Vílchez tried to pass to Carando, the two Huancayo central defenders headed the ball wrongly again to Vílchez, who head it in: 1-1 (31').

The home side intensified the attacks towards the end of the first half, and had several opportunities, including a shot which hit the side bar. Finally, Peña was able to cross from the right and found Valverde in the center of the area, whose strong shot went into the net: 2-1 (39').

In the second half, much of the same happened, with Huancayo having the upper hand in the field. The same Peña crossed, this time from the left, and the same Valverde had the decisive shot: 3-1 (72'). The game looked very much over, but the visitors disagreed: Ramúa crossed fron the right and Carando's header made it 3-2 (84'). The final minutes were tense, but the home side succeeded to preserve the slight advantage and to win deservedly.

Huancayo: Pinto - Carmona, Fuentes, Valoyes, Ángeles - Valverde (Benítez 76'), Salcedo (Villar 60') - Peña, Lliuya, Bazán - Neumann (Huaccha 84'). Head coach: Wilmar Valencia.

Cusco: Pretel - Chávez, Paniagua, Vílchez, Céspedes - Aucca (Rivera 54'), Delgado - Uscamayta (Carranza 33'), Ramúa, Boló (Palacios 64') - Carando. Head coach: Javier Arce.

Referee: Diego Haro.

Yellow cards: Salcedo 28', Carmona 90' - Delgado 13', Aucca 34'.

It is nonetheless a paradox to see that some former Real Garcilaso players (today Cusco FC) scored against their former club: Carlos Neumann and Marcio Valverde. Marcio Valverde was even considered the man of the match. This tells a lot about how the management of Real Garcilaso / Cusco FC disregarded some good players who left for other clubs. It is a wrong strategy to renew the whole team each year. New players, without a certain nucleus made up by old players, are even more difficult to integrate, to accommodate to each other.

Many of the new players are not the same quality as those of the 2019 season (not to mention the 2018 season). The defence is especially awful. Last year, Real Garcilaso had the best defence in the league, now it is among the worst ones. It is impossible to win games if you get three goals in each match.

In the next round, Cusco FC will play at home (in Sicuani) against Universidad César Vallejo, while Sport Huancayo will play away to Melgar.
Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 5 (28 February – 2 March 2020)

UTC – FBC Melgar 1-1

Alianza Lima – Deportivo Municipal 1-0

Academia Cantolao – Atlético Grau 1-0

Cienciano – Ayacucho FC 1-4

Alianza Universidad – Deportivo Llacuabamba 3-0

Universidad San Martín – Carlos A. Mannucci 2-2

Sport Boys – Universitario 3-3

Carlos Stein – Deportivo Binacional 1-1

Universidad César Vallejo – Sporting Cristal 1-1

Sport Huancayo – Cusco FC 3-2

                                                            Table

1	Alianza Universidad	5	5	0	0	10-3	15	Qualified for the play-off
2	Ayacucho FC	5	4	0	1	11-5	12
3	Binacional	5	3	1	1	8-5	10
4	Universitario de Deportes	5	3	1	1	10-8	10
5	Academia Cantolao	5	3	0	2	5-6	9
6	Sport Boys	5	2	2	1	13-12	8
7	Sport Huancayo	5	2	2	1	6-5	8
8	UTC	5	2	2	1	5-4	8
9	FBC Melgar	5	2	1	2	8-8	7
10	Alianza Lima	5	2	1	2	5-6	7
11	Universidad San Martín	5	2	1	2	8-10	7
12	Cienciano	5	2	0	3	11-9	6
13	Carlos A. Mannucci	5	1	3	1	9-7	6
14	Universidad César Vallejo	5	1	3	1	5-5	6
15	Sporting Cristal	5	1	2	2	5-6	5
16	Deportivo Municipal	5	0	4	1	3-4	4
17	Cusco FC	5	1	0	4	8-11	3
18	Deportivo Llacuabamba	5	1	0	4	8-14	3
19	Carlos Stein	5	0	2	3	3-9	2
20	Atlético Grau	5	0	1	4	3-7	1

Round 6 (6-9 March 2020)

Carlos A. Mannucci – Cienciano

Sporting Cristal – Carlos Stein

Cusco FC – Universidad César Vallejo

Deportivo Llacuabamba – UTC

Deportivo Municipal – Academia Cantolao

FBC Melgar – Sport Huancayo

Atlético Grau – Universidad San Martín

Universitario – Alianza Lima

Deportivo Binacional – Sport Boys

Ayacucho FC – Alianza Universidad