Cusco FC lost 3-2 to Cienciano in the Cusco derby of the Peruvian Liga 1

Saturday, the 19th of September 2020, 3.30 pm local time (8.30 pm UTC), Estadio San Marcos, Lima (neutral ground), 12th round of the Peruvian Apertura (or Stage 1), Liga 1.
Cusco FC inherited some of the fierce rivalry which existed with Cienciano when the team was called Real Garcilaso and the two teams divided the fans in Cusco into two fractions, sometimes even radical supporters of either team. However, with no spectators in the stands and the game played in Lima (like all the others in the Peruvian Liga 1 since its restart), the rivalry seemed not so important any longer, while the two teams struggled to get the points.
Cusco FC started well, attacking constantly, but Cienciano were the ones who scored, on a counterattack: Luís García lifted a ball into the area and Adrián Ugarriza was faster than Cusco FC defenders and scored: 0-1 (13'). On another counterattack and after an error of Vílchez, Naranjo passed to Luís García who had no problems in sending the ball in from outside the area, while goalkeeper Farro was already beaten: 0-2 (18'). Both central defenders of Cusco FC, Delgado and Vílchez, suffered injuries after each of the goals and they had to be replaced by Paniagua and Erick Gonzales. This happened in an already negative context for Cusco FC, which was not able to have the best line-up, as Pretel, Saravia, Céspedes and Mimbela were either suspended or injured. Cusco FC defence proved once again its weaknesses when a free kick by Luís García, which hit the side post, was eventually transformed into a goal by Breno Naranjo from inside the area: 0-3 (35'). The score could have been gone to 4-0, but the Damián Ismodes's shot went into the side post in the stoppage time of the first half.
In the second half, while Cienciano tried to preserve their advantage, Cusco FC tried hard to get back in the game and almost succeeded. With Pósito in the field as a second striker, Danilo Carando was able to get several shots and even hit the side post (57'). Eventually, the classic goal arrived: Ramúa crossed and Carando headed the ball in: 1-3 (71'). Encouraged by this, Cusco FC intensified their attacks. Edinson Chávez's long-range shot hit the cross bar (74') and his cross from the right side was turned into a goal by Janio Pósito: 2-3 (76'). Sensing the danger, the head coach of Cienciano, Marcelo Grioni, quickly made changes to improve their defence, and succeeded to preserve this small advantage until the end, although Cusco FC pressure was very high and there were claims for a penalty when Perleche touched to ball with his hand inside the area in the final minutes of the game. However, the referee ignored the fact and Cienciano eventually won 3-2 a match which had two completely different halves.
Cusco FC: Farro - Chávez, Vílchez (Gonzales 20'), Delgado (Paniagua 16'), Guidino - Valenzuela, Atoche - Carranza (Morales 63'), Ramúa, Rivera (Pósito 46') - Carando. Coach: Ariel Paz.
Cienciano: Ferreyra - Perleche, Kontogiannis, Pizzorno, Trujillo - R. Garcia, Molina - Ugarriza, L. García (Lojas 89'), Ismodes (Júnior Aguirre 76') - Naranjo (Curiel 76'). Head coach: Marcelo Grioni.
Referee: Jesús Cartagena.
Yellow cards: Atoche 29', Chávez 39' - L. García 32', Lojas 90', Ferreyra 90'+2'.

Edinson Chávez (Cusco FC, in black) and Damián Ismodes (Cienciano) are fighting for the ball. Source: andina.pe

 

Many Cienciano footballers played formerly for Real Garcilaso (now Cusco FC): Ferreyra, Kontogiannis, Lojas, Luis García, Ismodes, to name just a few. In a way, one might say that they took revenge on their former team, which did not consider them good enough and let them go, perhaps too easily.
The next game for Cusco FC will be on Wednesday against Alianza Universidad de Huánuco, while Cienciano will play against FBC Melgar on the same day.
This was the first defeat in the field for Cusco FC since March the 3rd, when they also lost 3-2 away to Sport Huancayo. It is also their first defeat in an official match against Cienciano since the 27th of September 2014 (almost six years ago!), but one has to point out that the two teams met only three times since them, twice in the 2015 Primera División and once in the 2019 Copa Bicentenario.