A draw which favours the others: Universidad de San Martín - Cusco FC 1-1

Universidad de San Martín de Porres - Cusco FC 1-1 (1-0)

Monges 39' - Montes 76'.

Sunday, 3 October 2021, 10:30 am local time (3:30 pm UTC), San Marcos Stadium, Lima (neutral ground), Peru, 14th round of Stage 2, Peruvian First Division.

Both teams are fighting to avoid relegation, so the result of this match was crucial for each of them. However, the context was different. Universidad de San Martín is in a very poor form, they have not won a single match during Stage 2, which means 14 matches without a single win. If one adds the Stage 1 final, which they lost (in extra time) to Sporting Cristal, there are already 15 consecutive matches without a victory, and to be more precise, only 4 draws and 11 defeats (although the Stage 1 final may also be counted as a draw, but in reality it certainly was a defeat).

Cusco FC are in a better position, as they fought well in the last matches, they won 3-2 over Academia Cantolao, and they received 2 points from the Disciplinary Board of the Peruvian Football Federation, as their match against Cienciano, which ended 2-2 in the field, was awarded 3-0 to Cusco FC, because Cienciano apparently fielded an ineligible player, Mathías Carpio. These 2 points were essential for Cusco FC to move from the last position in the table and catch up with a bunch of teams which now all have 22 points at the bottom of the table.

A win for either team would have secured more chances to avoid relegation, so the match was very highly disputed. Cusco FC attacked more, and had many chances from the very beginning, by means of Sandro Rengifo, Mauricio Montes, José Rivera and Matías Abisab. Universidad de San Martín defended well and responded by Carlos Monges. The goal came towards the end of the first half, rather unexpectedly: Gabriel Delgado crossed to Piero Vivanco, whose shot was saved by goalkeeper Diego Enríquez, but the ball deflected perfectly to Carlos Monges in the centre of the box, who scored: 1-0 (39'). Not long after, Universidad de San Martín had a huge opportunity to double their advantage, but Manuel Corrales had a miraculous intervention right in front of the goal.

At half time, Cusco FC made a couple of offensive changes, sending in both Alfredo "Chapu" Ramúa and Víctor Cedrón. Universidad de San Martín made a step back, defending their advantage. The game was played almost entirely in one half, and even more, in the area of Universidad de San Martín. Cusco FC attacked almost continuously. Alfredo Ramúa's shot hit the Gabriel Delgado's hand inside the box and the referee awarded the penalty to Cusco FC. Mauricio Montes executed, but over the crossbar (55').

The game continued as if nothing happened, with the same Cusco FC players literally assaulting the opposing goal, insisting with shots, crosses, passes, whatever, but nothing seemed to pay off. Eventually, a cross by Ramúa from the right was slightly deviated by Miguel Carranza and Mauricio Montes headed the ball in: 1-1 (76').

 Mauricio Montes scored the equalizer for Cusco FC. Source: depor.com

One could believe that Cusco's attacks would continue, as they still had 15 minutes ahead, plus stoppage time, and it looked like their opponents were down and easy to defeat. However, they reduced the intensity of the attacks and Universidad de San Martín managed to get out of their own half and to balance the game in the final minutes. The referee did not award a second penalty for Cusco, despite some claims in this respect, especially for a possible foul on Montes in the box. The final score, 1-1, seemed to be at least partly appreciated by both teams, which is quite surprising, because the real beneficiaries are the other teams fighting to avoid relegation.

San Martín: Penny - Salas, Schüler, Cavagna, Llontop - Delgado (Bilbao 86'), Barco, Vivanco (Inga 70') - Bazán (Zanelatto 59'), Monges (N. Figueroa 86'), Pérez Guedes. Manager: José Espinoza.

Cusco: Enríquez - Velásquez (Carranza 66'), Rizzo, A. Figueroa, Corrales - Aubert (Cedrón 46'), Gonzales (Royón 71'), Abisab - Rivera (Ramúa 46'), Montes, Rengifo (Espinoza 89'). Manager: Marcelo Grioni.

Referee: David Huamán.

Yellow cards: Vivanco 48', Delgado 60' - Corrales 90'.

In the upper half of the table, it is now clear that the national title would be decided after a play-off final between Sporting Cristal (Stage 1 winners) and Alianza Lima (Stage 2 winners), because these two teams are also the top two classified in the aggregate table.

In the lower half of the table, at least seven teams are involved in the fight to avoid relegation, four of them having the same number of points in last place. The remaining matches will be decisive.

There will be a short break, caused by the official games of the national teams, and the last three rounds of Stage 2 would be played in the second half of October.

Full results, tables and fixtures:

Round 14 (1-3 October 2021)

 

Ayacucho – Carlos A. Mannucci 3-2

Sport Boys – Alianza Atlético 3-1

Cienciano – Sporting Cristal 2-1

Sport Huancayo – Alianza Universidad 4-3

Deportivo Municipal – Binacional 1-2

Alianza Lima – UTC 2-0

Universidad de San Martín – Cusco FC 1-1

Academia Cantolao – FBC Melgar 0-2

Universitario – Universidad César Vallejo 3-0

 

Stage 2 (Clausura) table

 

1	Alianza Lima	14	11	3	0	24-7	36	Qualified for the play-off
2	FBC Melgar	14	7	4	3	24-12	25
3	Sport Boys	14	7	4	3	19-15	25
4	Sporting Cristal	13	7	3	3	30-18	24
5	Universitario de Deportes	14	5	5	3	25-16	23
6	Cienciano	14	5	5	4	20-18	20
7	Carlos A. Mannucci	14	6	2	6	23-22	20
8	Binacional	13	6	2	5	20-21	20
9	Universidad César Vallejo	14	5	4	5	11-11	19
10	Ayacucho FC	14	5	4	5	18-21	19
11	UTC	14	5	4	5	14-18	19
12	Deportivo Municipal	14	5	3	6	18-16	18
13	Cusco FC	14	4	3	7	25-26	15
14	Academia Cantolao	14	3	5	6	17-20	14
15	Sport Huancayo	14	2	8	4	15-19	14
16	Alianza Universidad	14	3	4	7	14-26	13
17	Alianza Atlético	14	3	3	8	17-31	12
18	Universidad San Martín	14	0	4	10	5-22	4

 

Rules for classification (except for first place): 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots.

A play-off is needed to decide the winner if two or more teams are tied on points on top of the table at the end of the tournament.

 

Round 15 (16-18 October 2021)

 

Alianza Atlético – Academia Cantolao

UTC – Sport Boys

Carlos A. Mannucci – Alianza Lima

FBC Melgar – Universidad de San Martín

Alianza Universidad – Cienciano

Sporting Cristal – Ayacucho

Cusco FC – Deportivo Municipal

Binacional – Universitario

Universidad César Vallejo – Sport Huancayo

 

Aggregate table (Stage 1 + Stage 2)

 

1	Alianza Lima (CW, Q)	23	15	7	1	36-13	52	Qualified for the play-offs & CL
2	Sporting Cristal (AW, Q)	22	15	3	4	48-24	48	Qualified for the play-offs & CL
3	Universitario de Deportes	23	10	8	5	37-27	37	[1] Qualified for C. Libertadores
4	Univ. César Vallejo	23	10	7	6	28-19	37	Qualified for Copa Libertadores
5	FBC Melgar	23	9	7	7	35-24	34	Qualified for C. Sudamericana
6	Ayacucho FC	23	8	10	5	34-31	34	Qualified for C. Sudamericana
7	Sport Boys	23	10	5	8	31-29	34	[1] Qualified for C. Sudamericana
8	Cienciano	23	9	7	7	34-30	33	[1] Qualified for C. Sudamericana
9	Carlos A. Mannucci	23	9	5	9	36-36	32
10	UTC	23	8	5	10	23-30	29
11	Sport Huancayo	23	5	11	7	23-28	26
12	Deportivo Municipal	23	7	4	12	24-31	24	[1]
13	Academia Cantolao	23	6	6	11	25-33	24
14	Binacional	23	7	3	12	28-42	24
15	Cusco FC	23	5	8	10	37-39	22	[1]
16	Alianza Atlético	23	6	4	13	27-40	22	Relegation/promotion play-offs
17	Universidad San Martín	23	6	5	12	15-28	22	[1] Relegation to Second Division
18	Alianza Universidad	23	6	5	12	22-39	22	[1] Relegation to Second Division

 

Q – Qualified for the play-offs

AW – Stage 1 (Apertura) Winners

CW – Stage 2 (Clausura) Winners

R – Relegated

 

Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) drawing of lots; 5) play-off (only if needed to decide teams for relegation)

---

[1] Universitario de Deportes, Universidad de San Martín, Cienciano, Alianza Universidad, Sport Boys, Cusco FC, and Deportivo Municipal have been all deducted 1 point in the aggregate table for financial irregularities.

Lukáš Makara's hat-trick after the break gave Slovan Giraltovce a 3-0 win over 1. FK Svidník

MFK Slovan Giraltovce - 1. FK Svidník 3-0 (0-0)

Makara 49', 55', 76'.

Saturday, 2 October 2021, 2:30 pm local time (12:30 UTC), MFK Slovan Stadium, Giraltovce, Slovakia, 11th round of the Slovak Third League - East Group (3. Liga - Východ).

Matchday 11 and the 11th defeat for 1. FK Svidník this season, which is even poorer than the previous one, and it gets worse by each round. In the meantime, their colleagues which have suffered equally during the previous year, MFK Slovan Giraltovce, succeeded to create a team that is now in mid-table, far from the emotions at the bottom of the table.

In the first half, 1. FK Svidník defended well and kept a clean sheet, surprisingly. The new goalkeeper, Viliam Rusinko, coming from Tesla Stropkov, had a few saves, and the defence functioned perfectly.

The new goalkeeper, Viliam Rusinko, made a few saves for 1. FK Svidník (in red) but MFK Slovan Giraltovce (in blue) eventually won the game. Photo / source: Ladislav Lukáč (Facebook)

However, the hosts started the second half very determined to score as early as possible and to finish off any sort of resistance from the side of the visitors. Lukáš Makara scored for 1-0 in 49' and just a few minutes later he made it 2-0 (55') and it was all over, as 1. FK Svidník does not have the players to fight back and to score goals. Lukáš Makara's third goal came in 76', establishing the final score, 3-0.

1. FK Svidník players were not able to stop MFK Slovan Giraltovce attacks in the second half. Photo / source: Ladislav Lukáč (Facebook)

Giraltovce: Prysiazhniuk - Migaš, Belák, E. Tomko (Chovanec 60'), Ficko, Tomáško (Pipčák 72'), M. Kuriplach (Michalko 72'), L. Makara (P. Kuriplach 80'), Havrila (Čuška 72'), R. Tomko, Krajňák. Manager: Tomáš Suslo.

Svidník: Rusinko - T. Čabala, Košč, Kasperkowicz, M. Makara (Gajdoš 60'), Shliakhov, Guman (Haňak 70'), Ducár, Wszola, Oravec, Kubis (Bartoš 89'). Manager: Lech Czaja.

Referee: Peter Ličko.

Yellow cards: L. Makara 25', Prysiazhniuk 25' - Shliakhov 25'.

In the next round, MFK Slovan Giraltovce will play away at newly-promoted OFK-SIM Raslavice, while 1. FK Svidník will face FK Sobrance-Sobranecko at home.

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 11 (2-3 October 2021)

 

FK Spišská Nová Ves – Slávia TU Košice 1-1

FK Poprad – 1. FC Tatran Prešov 0-1

MFK Slovan Giraltovce – 1. FK Svidník 3-0

TJ Mladosť Kalša – OŠK Rudňany 3-2

MŠK Tesla Stropkov – MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou 2-1

MFK Snina – ŠK Odeva Lipany 1-0

FK Sobrance-Sobranecko – FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy 3-0

MŠK Spišské Podhradie – OFK-SIM Raslavice postponed

 

Table

 

1	FK Spišská Nová Ves	11	9	2	0	37-7	29	Promotion to 2. Liga
2	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	11	8	2	1	25-7	26
3	1. FC Tatran Prešov	11	8	0	3	40-13	24
4	MFK Snina	11	7	1	3	23-8	22
5	ŠK Odeva Lipany	11	5	5	1	35-11	20
6	Slávia TU Košice	11	5	5	1	21-10	20
7	MFK Vranov nad Topl’ou	11	6	2	3	28-18	20
8	FK Poprad	11	5	2	4	20-14	17
9	MFK Slovan Giraltovce	10	5	2	3	13-10	17
10	TJ Mladosť Kalša	11	4	2	5	23-27	14
11	FK Sobrance-Sobranecko	11	3	1	7	12-20	10
12	OFK-SIM Raslavice	10	2	2	6	11-25	8
13	OŠK Rudňany	11	2	1	8	19-36	7
14	MŠK Spišské Podhradie	10	1	2	7	4-26	5
15	FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy	10	1	1	8	9-34	4	Relegation to 4. Liga
16	1. FK Svidník	11	0	0	11	3-57	0	Relegation to 4. Liga

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the main ranking criteria are the results of the head-to-head matches.

 

Round 12 (9-10 October 2021)

 

MFK Vranov nad Topľou – FK Spišská Nová Ves

OŠK Rudňany – FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy

ŠK Odeva Lipany – MŠK Spišské Podhradie

1. FC Tatran Prešov – MFK Snina

Slávia TU Košice – FK Poprad

TJ Mladosť Kalša – MŠK Tesla Stropkov

1. FK Svidník – FK Sobrance-Sobranecko

OFK-SIM Raslavice – MFK Slovan Giraltovce

Fayoum SC started badly the 2021-2022 season of the Egyptian Second Division, Group A, losing 2-1 to newly-promoted Naser Mallawi

MS Naser Mallawi - Fayoum SC 2-1 (1-1) 

Mohamed Trika 15', Mohamed Abdel Samie 65' - Mohamed Abdel Moati 36'. 

Saturday, 2 October 2021, 2:30 pm local time (12:30 pm UTC), Markaz Shabab Naser Stadium, Mallawi, Egypt, 1st round of the Egyptian Second Division, Group A.

The 2021-2022 season of the Egyptian Second Division has started, and Fayoum SC seemed prepared to begin with a positive result, after a long summer with training sessions led by the new manager, Ramadan Ragab.

Fayoum SC players and manager Ramadan Ragab (in the center, upper row) before the start of the season. Source: Fayoum SC Facebook page

However, newly-promoted Naser Mallawi played very well and won the three points, rather unexpectedly. The two teams alternated the periods of domination and control of the game. Naser Mallawi started better, with the enthusiasm that is characteristic for all promoted teams, and their insistence paid off when they took the lead by Mohamed Shabaan Trika: 1-0 (15').

After the goal, Fayoum SC gradually took over the control in the game, and eventually managed to equalize, by means of Mohamed Abdel Moati: 1-1 (36').

In the second half, things happened almost the same way. The hosts started better and Mohamed Abdel Samie scored for 2-1 (65').

The visitors dominated the final minutes, looking again for an equalizer. They received a penalty in their favour right before the end of the match, but Ahmed Ali Saleh's shot was saved by goalkeeper Amr El-Shennawy.

Starting line-ups:

Mallawi: Amr El-Shennawy - Abdul Rahman Shaaban, Ahmed Ali, Alaa Yasser, Muhammad Tawfiq - Sedfa, Mohamed Trika, Ahmed Abdel-Jalil Al-Lul - Benjura Daoud, Ahmed Mansour, Ahmed Abdel Samie. Manager: Mohamed Haridy.

Fayoum: Islam Emad - Mahmoud Kamal "Schmeichel", Ahmed Saber, Islam El-Sayed, Mohamed Adel - El-Sayed Lotfy, Mahmoud Ashraf, Mohamed Ahmed - Hossam Hassan, Alaa Eldin Metwally, Mohamed Abdel Moati. Manager: Ramadan Ragab.

Referee: Mohamed Taha.

Next Saturday, in the second round, Fayoum will face Dayrout at home, while Naser Mallawi will play away at Aluminium.