Cusco FC - Alianza Lima 3-0 (1-0)
Colitto 2', Aucca 73', 87'
Friday, 24 May 2024, 6 pm local time (11 pm UTC), Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Stadium, Cusco, Peru, 17th (last) round of Apertura, Peruvian First Division (Liga 1).
Cusco FC (in gold) and Alianza Lima (in white and blue stripes) before the start of the match. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
It was a magic evening for Cusco FC in the final round of Apertura, which ended with a glorious win over one of the outstanding teams in Peru, Alianza Lima. There was not much at stake indeed, as both teams were quite far away from the leaders: Alianza in fourth place and Cusco FC in fifth or sixth, depending on the result. Nonetheless, the match was still on and the players (especially those of Cusco FC) contributed fully to the show. The home side, after a humiliating 4-0 defeat away at Atlético Grau, wanted to get some credit from their own fans at the end of the first half of the season.
Lucas Colitto scored right after kick-off with an unusual shot from the left side. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
The match had just begun when Colitto scored. Colman opened up to him on the left side, and Colitto prepared a cross, but the ball took an unusal trajectory and ended up in the net: 1-0 (2'). So much for the strong Alianza Lima defence!
After the goal, the visitors tried to reply, and they had several good opportunities, the biggest one being from a set piece, a free kick well-executed by Sebastián Rodríguez, but Andy Vidal saved spectacularly (18').
Despite the apparent Alianza Lima control of the midfield and higher ball possession, Cusco FC indeed maintained their overall dominance of the game, initiating far more dangerous offensive charges compared to their opponents.
Iván Colman (Cusco FC, with the ball) initiated most of Cusco FC offensive actions. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
This became even more obvious in the second half, when Alianza seemed to struggle in vain, while Cusco FC looked for the second goal. Which eventually came from the local guy, substitute Miguel Aucca, who scored after a corner taken by Colman, while two Alianza defenders and the goalkeeper were unable to stop him: 2-0 (73').
Higher above all defenders and the goalkeeper, Miguel Aucca headed into the empty net to make it 2-0. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
The second goal gave Cusco FC the much needed relaxation towards the end of the game, allowing them to create even more chances. Nicolás Silva hit the side post (77'), and Alianza Lima was literally on the ground, making huge mistakes in defence, which were however not converted by the home side.
Finally, on a counterattack, Colitto on the left side passed to Aucca, quite alone in the centre, at the edge of the box, and he had the time and space to think about his shot, and where to place it, enough to make it 3-0 (87').
Miguel Aucca had all the time he needed to score the third goal and his first brace. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
It could have been even more, as Rely Fernández scored after a big defensive mistake from the visitors, but the goal was disallowed for offside (90').
Cusco FC ended the Apertura in style, eventually in fifth place, also because of the ADT Tarma defeat away at Sport Boys, but the win over Alianza Lima is more than just three points, given the troublesome history of these two teams which competed for the title against each other in the 2010s, when Cusco FC was still named Real Garcilaso.
Alianza Lima were also probably thinking about their next game in the Copa Libertadores, away to Fluminense in Brasil. This was also in Cusco's advantage.
Miguel Aucca celebrates his goal along with his teammates. Photo source: Cusco FC Facebook page
Possibly the most important conclusion after the Apertura is that Miguel Rondelli was the right choice as manager for Cusco FC. The team performed well, and there are positive signs that it can be even better.
Cusco FC: Vidal - Ramírez, Bilbao, Pérez, Zevallos - Valenzuela - Silva (Cárdenas 81'), Vásquez (Aucca 67'), Colman (R. Fernández 81'), Colitto (Correa 88') - Ramos (Tévez 67'). Manager: Miguel Rondelli.
Alianza Lima: Saravia - Garcés, Zambrano (Fuentes 46'), Freytes - Huamán (Serna 46'), Arregui, S. Rodríguez, Castillo (Cabellos 46'), Lagos (Guzmán 74') - Waterman (Zanelatto 65'), Barcos. Manager: Alejandro Restrepo.
Referee: Daniel Ureta.
Yellow cards: Ramos 5', Valenzuela 17', Bilbao 45'+3', Colman 52' - Zambrano 5'.
The Apertura ended with Universitario as winners on goal difference over Sporting Cristal, the two teams having the same number of points. Universitario won 4-0 at home over Los Chankas, while Sporting Cristal won only 1-0 away at Comerciantes Unidos. Sporting Cristal needed a 2-0 win to become Apertura winners, but failed to score a second goal.
The Peruvian First Division (Liga 1) will resume in July, after Copa América.
Full results and table:
Round 17 (24-27 May 2024)
Cusco FC – Alianza Lima 3-0
Universidad César Vallejo – Atlético Grau 2-1
Sport Huancayo – UTC Cajamarca 1-1
Universitario de Deportes – Los Chankas 4-0
Deportivo Garcilaso – FBC Melgar 1-3
Comerciantes Unidos – Sporting Cristal 0-1
Alianza Atlético – Carlos A. Mannucci 0-0
Sport Boys – ADT Tarma 1-0
Unión Comercio – Cienciano 1-1
Final Apertura table
|
1 |
Universitario de Deportes (W) |
17 |
12 |
4 |
1 |
32-7 |
40 |
Qualified for the play-offs |
|
2 |
Sporting Cristal |
17 |
13 |
1 |
3 |
44-20 |
40 |
|
|
3 |
FBC Melgar |
17 |
12 |
2 |
3 |
36-19 |
38 |
|
|
4 |
Alianza Lima |
17 |
11 |
0 |
6 |
32-16 |
33 |
|
|
5 |
Cusco FC |
17 |
9 |
2 |
6 |
22-21 |
29 |
|
|
6 |
ADT Tarma |
17 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
29-24 |
28 |
|
|
7 |
Cienciano |
17 |
6 |
8 |
3 |
20-20 |
26 |
|
|
8 |
Comerciantes Unidos |
17 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
22-31 |
22 |
|
|
9 |
Los Chankas |
17 |
6 |
3 |
8 |
25-26 |
21 |
|
|
10 |
Universidad César Vallejo |
17 |
4 |
8 |
5 |
19-24 |
20 |
|
|
11 |
Atlético Grau |
17 |
4 |
7 |
6 |
19-17 |
19 |
|
|
12 |
Sport Boys |
17 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
18-20 |
19 |
|
|
13 |
Sport Huancayo |
17 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
18-29 |
19 |
|
|
14 |
UTC Cajamarca |
17 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
21-29 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
Deportivo Garcilaso |
17 |
3 |
5 |
9 |
20-26 |
14 |
|
|
16 |
Alianza Atlético |
17 |
3 |
5 |
9 |
11-19 |
14 |
|
|
17 |
Carlos A. Mannucci |
17 |
3 |
5 |
9 |
11-34 |
14 |
|
|
18 |
Unión Comercio |
17 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
17-34 |
9 |
|
W – Apertura winners
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots.
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