Rivera's hat-trick brought a 3-2 win for Cusco FC over Llacuabamba in their last match of the 2020 season

Saturday, the 28th of November 2020, 11 am local time (4 pm UTC), Iván Elías Moreno Stadium, Lima (neutral ground), the 9th (final) round of the Stage 2 (Clausura), Group B, Peruvian First Division.
Cusco FC and Deportivo Llacuabamba met in the first match of the last round of Stage 2, an official match which looked very much like a friendly, given the fact that there was nothing really at stake for any of them. Cusco FC were out of the relegation area but too far from either winning Group B of Stage 2 or classifying in the top eight in the overall table to get to a continental cup. Deportivo Llacuabamba were already relegated and could not avoid the last place in the overall table, regardless.
Cusco FC, with almost half the regular starters (Carando, Gonzales, Carranza, Atoche, Chávez) missing for various reasons, played very well in the first half, trying to counteract the steady advance and ball possession of Llacuabamba. After a corner, Delgado's header was deflected by a defender with his hand, so the referee gave a penalty to Cusco. Pósito missed however, as goalkeeper Prieto guessed correctly where his shot would be directed (28'). It seems like Cusco FC really has a problem with scoring from the penalty spot, as several other penalties were also missed this season (usually by Carando). Cusco FC took the lead nevertheless a few minutes later, after another corner: Toledo passed back to Rivera, whose shot from 15 metres went into the upper right corner, touching the crossbar before getting in: 0-1 (35'). They doubled the advantage on a fast attack, as Pósito passed to Ramúa, who left the ball for the same Rivera, whose shot, from the centre of the area, was perfectly placed near the post: 0-2 (42'). It all looked solved, but in the stoppage time of the first half, a beautiful collective action of Llacuabamba ended up in a goal, as Trauco finished from short range the assist provided by Bustamante: 1-2 (45'+1').

José Rivera's hat-trick was decisive for Cusco FC in this match. Source: ovacion.pe

In the second half, Deportivo Llacuabamba controlled the game and equalized rather early, as Segundo Acevedo transformed in great style a free kick from about 20 metres: 2-2 (50'). At 2-2, Deportivo Llacuabamba had the ball more and attacked more, but Cusco FC had the best chances, by Delgado and Rivera. It was in the last minute when the winning goal came from the foot of the same player, José Rivera, who finished from inside the area another pass back from Toledo: 2-3 (90').
Llacuabamba: Prieto - Ja. Vásquez, Di Laura (Olaya 85'), Ji. Vásquez, Raguso (Cerna 75') - Pachas, Paico - Bustamante (Pérez 66'), Acevedo, Trauco (Ruiz 85') - Valera (Otero 85'). Manager: Alberto Castillo.
Cusco: Pretel - Toledo, Saravia, Paniagua, Céspedes - Valenzuela, Delgado - Rivera, Ramúa (Velásquez 46'), Guidino (Morales 88') - Pósito. Manager: Carlos Ramacciotti.
Referee: Luis Ciriaco.
Yellow cards: Paniagua 18', Toledo 49', Guidino 79'.
Cusco FC finished fourth in Group B and either 11th, 12th or 13th in the overall classification, which is anyway their worse performance since they promoted to the Peruvian First Division in 2011. Carlos Ramacciotti would stay as manager for the next year and hopefully he and his team will find the ways to bring this team back among the top teams of the Peruvian First Division.