Cusco FC - Deportivo Llacuabamba 2-2 (2-1) in the 14th round of the Peruvian Apertura

Monday, the 28th of September 2020, 12 noon local time (5 pm UTC), Estadio San Marcos, Lima (neutral ground), 14th round of the Peruvian Apertura (or Stage 1), Liga 1.
Cusco FC has barely saved one point in this match against last classified, Deportivo Llacuabamba. It looked like an easy match for them, on paper, but in reality Deportivo Llacuabamba was the better team and must be very frustrated for not winning. Cusco FC is getting worse in the field, match after match, since the departure of head coach Carlos Ramacciotti.
In the first half, Deportivo Llacuabamba dominated most of the game and broke the deadlock: a cross from the left side, goalkeeper Gómez mistakenly flips the ball away to Félix Uculmana, who doesn't miss the target: 0-1 (28'). Immediately after, Cusco FC reacted well and scored two beautiful goals. First, a long range shot by José Rivera: 1-1 (35'). Then, a spectacular counterattack, started by Ramúa, continued by Rivera, and finished exquisitely by Carando: 2-1 (38').

The two goals were just not enough for Cusco FC to win the game. Source: depor.com

The second half was, however, almost completely dominated by Llacuabamba, which missed a great chance and then equalized very early from a strange shot by Kevin Santamaría, while Gómez was quite astonished and unable to catch a simple ball: 2-2 (49'). Deportivo Llacuabamba had several more opportunities, including a penalty, missed by Níger Vega (80'). Cusco FC only started to attack once again in the final minutes, when actually both teams looked for a decisive goal.
Cusco: Gómez - Chávez, Saravia, Paniagua, Céspedes - Valenzuela, Gonzales (Atoche 81') - Rivera (Gutiérrez 81'), Pósito (Mimbela 46'), Ramúa (Boló 62') - Carando. Head coach: Francisco Melgar.
Llacuabamba: Ramírez - Vásquez, Uculmana, Calderón, Raguso - Adrianzén (Ruiz 69'), Sánchez - Santamaría, Vega (Velasco 85'), Bustamante - Valera. Head coach: Alberto Castillo.
Referee: Gean Barbagelatta.
Yellow cards: Gómez 79', Mimbela 82' - Santamaría 49', Vega 72', Uculmana 90'+1'.
The next game for both teams will be on Thursday, the 1st of October. Deportivo Llacuabamba will meet FBC Melgar, while Cusco FC will play against Ayacucho FC. Like all the other games since August, these matches will also be played on neutral grounds, in Lima.
Cusco FC will need to improve if they are still looking forward for an international competition the next year and even to be safe from relegation, which was (and perhaps still is) surprisingly in sight. The good news for Cusco FC is that they got back the 3 points they won in the field, 2-1 over Carlos Stein, which were taken away and the match awarded 3-0 to Carlos Stein by the Disciplinary Board of the Peruvian Federation. Today, the Appeal Board removed that decision and Cusco FC received back the points.
Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 14 (25-28 September 2020)

 

Universidad César Vallejo – Academia Cantolao 1-1

Sport Huancayo – Universidad San Martín 4-3

Universitario – Atlético Grau 2-0

Sport Boys – Deportivo Municipal 1-1

UTC – Cienciano 3-0

Carlos Stein – Alianza Lima 0-2

Binacional – Carlos A. Mannucci 0-1

Sporting Cristal – Ayacucho 2-1

Cusco FC – Deportivo Llacuabamba 2-2

FBC Melgar – Alianza Universidad 1-0

 

                                                            Table

 

1	Universitario de Deportes	14	10	3	1	26-13	32	[1] Qualified for the play-off
2	Sporting Cristal	14	7	4	3	26-14	25
3	UTC	14	7	4	3	20-14	25
4	Sport Huancayo	14	7	4	3	19-14	25
5	Cienciano	14	7	2	5	24-18	23
6	Carlos A. Mannucci	14	6	5	3	18-15	23
7	Ayacucho FC	14	6	3	5	22-17	21
8	Alianza Universidad	14	6	3	5	18-15	21
9	Binacional	14	6	3	5	17-16	21
10	Universidad César Vallejo	14	4	8	2	18-13	20
11	FBC Melgar	14	5	4	5	16-17	19
12	Cusco FC	14	5	3	6	21-21	18
13	Alianza Lima	14	4	6	4	15-15	18
14	Deportivo Municipal	14	3	7	4	14-14	16
15	Academia Cantolao	14	4	3	7	14-26	15
16	Carlos Stein	14	3	4	7	11-18	12	[1]
17	Atlético Grau	14	2	5	7	12-20	11
18	Universidad San Martín	14	2	5	7	14-23	11	Relegation to Segunda División
19	Sport Boys	14	3	3	8	18-28	11	[1] Relegation to Segunda División
20	Deportivo Llacuabamba	14	2	3	9	19-31	9	Relegation to Segunda División

 

Round 15 (29 September – 1 October 2020)

 

Academia Cantolao – Carlos Stein

Cienciano – Sport Huancayo

Universidad San Martín – Universidad César Vallejo

Carlos A. Mannucci – Sporting Cristal

Deportivo Municipal – Universitario

Deportivo Llacuabamba – FBC Melgar

Ayacucho – Cusco FC

Alianza Universidad – UTC

Alianza Lima – Sport Boys – will be played on 7 October

Atlético Grau – Binacional – will be played on 7 October

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[1] Universitario de Deportes, Carlos Stein and Sport Boys have 1 point deducted for financial irregularities.