WE DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
The week started with a lot of optimism for the Peruvian teams. University of Sports He came from thrashing Cantolao 4-0. He had to visit the mighty corinthians at the Arena Química Arena in Sao Paulo. However, “Timao” announced days before that he would save his best footballers to face the rematch of the Brazil Cup against América Mineiro, a rival with whom he lost 1-0 in the first leg. Vanderlei Luxembourg, his coach, left almost all his starters off the list, except the Uruguayan Bruno Méndez. Although it is true that Peruvian teams are not here to belittle a rival at the international level, if there was a time to shelve, this was it. However, La ‘U’ showed a defensive game and knew how to hold the tie until Alex Valera was sent off. Finally, Corinthians would reach the goal and with that they took the lead in the series. A debt for Jorge Fossati, who could only add internationally in La Plata, when he beat Gimnasia 1-0 with a penalty goal from Alexander Succar.
For his part, Sporting Cristal He arrived at his best moment of the season. With a team already defined and practicing the game idea of its coach Tiago Nunes. In addition, with 15 consecutive games without losing and starting the series in Lima, he had all the tickets to make a difference against an Emelec that during dodo 2023 had barely won a game as a visitor (3-1 against Barcelona). In addition, he arrived after two weeks without playing official matches, since the tournament in Ecuador was only reactivated at the beginning of August. Despite the fact that he dominated much of the game, he did not have great chances. Emelec took advantage of a defensive error and scored 1-0 that would not move again at Nacional. This is how he extended his losing streak against ‘Bombillo’, whom he could never beat in the capital.
Corinthians gave priority to the Brazilian tournaments over the South American. Video: Conmebol.
REINFORCEMENTS RESPONDED, BUT DID NOT REACH
University of Sports I present Edison Flores as a novelty in his list for the PlayOff. ‘Orejas’, who had already had minutes in the previous clashes (Alianza Atlético and Cantolao), started the game on the substitute bench. He entered in the second half and it was there that Piero Quispe also appeared, who had gone unnoticed in the first half. Flores and Piero began to rotate the ball and make the ‘Timao’ footballers desperate. In addition, the former midfielder of Atlas de México was always participatory and asked for the ball at all times. After the expulsion of Valera, he had to be improvised as a forward and there he could not shine because the ‘U’ dedicated himself to withdrawing his lines after being left with one less.
Nicholas Pasquini arrived in Peru last Sunday. Although his signing has convinced the sky-blue fan, he barely had a couple of days of training and to meet the group. To which, internationally, he ends up paying. The left-hander came on in the second half for Nilson Loyola and was mobile in attack and collaborative in defence. Cristal already lost with Emelec, but we believe that Pasquini will be a good contribution to Peruvian football.
CHILD EXPULSION
This has been a constant for Universitario and Cristal this season (see attached pictures). The ‘U’ suffered it this week after the irresponsibility of alex valera, who received the red card after an iron to a rival defender. In a tight game, and in this international instance, this type of error is expensive. Nobody denies the virtues and goalscoring skills of ‘Valegol’, but his case is already a repeat offender: he has three expulsions in 2023. After leaving the creams with 10 players, he took away the possibility of rethinking Jorge Fossati, since Horacio Calcaterra and Emanuel Herrera were about to enter. Finally, Herrera was left wanting to enter and ‘Timao’ scored the winning goal.
Expelled from Sporting Cristal internationally in 2023
DATE | TOURNAMENT | RESULT | EXPELLED | RESULT BEFORE |
---|---|---|---|---|
5TH OF APRIL | LIBERATORS | Crystal 1-3 FLUMINENSE | YOSHIMAR YOTUN | 1-3 |
25 OF MAY | LIBERATORS | Cristal 1-1 River Plate | RAPHAEL LUTIGER | 1-0 |
JUNE 7TH | LIBERATORS | The Strongest 1-2 CRYSTAL | GIANFRANCO CHAVEZ | 1-1 |
Expelled from the University of Sports internationally in 2023
DATE | TOURNAMENT | RESULT | EXPELLED | RESULT BEFORE |
---|---|---|---|---|
8 OF JUNE | SOUTH AMERICAN | SANTA FE 2-0 University | NELSON CABANILLAS | 0-0 |
JULY 11 | SOUTH AMERICAN | CORINTHIANS 1-0 University | ALEX VALERA | 0-0 |
It is the second time that Alex Valera has been sent off internationally. In 2022 he saw the red against Barcelona de Guayaquil, in Phase 2 of the Copa Libertadores.
BAD PLANTS AND STAKEOUTS
We saw this in both games. The one who will say the least is that it is always easier to talk with the result in place, but it should be noted that Corinthians and Emelec never put a good result at risk in their matches. The ‘U’ came out from the first moment not to lose it in Brazil. Although corinthians He presented a totally renewed ’11′, Fossati’s plan was to wait behind, as the minutes ticked by, the rival began to play with the pressure and desperation of the people in order to find some counter in the second half. Being this a 180-minute key, it wasn’t a bad deal for the ‘U’ to tie in Sao Paulo. At the time of the changes, the entry of Alfonso Barco in place of Jorge Murrugarra was surprising. Because normally the first alternative is Horacio Calcaterra and because ‘Murru’ was doing well and didn’t even have a yellow card to think of a risk of expulsion.
In the other game, it was known that Emelec I would come to Lima to look for at least the tie. After the game, Tiago Nunes remarked how difficult it was to break a defense withdrawn like that of ‘Bombillo’. Although there were low performances individually, also on the bench there was no reaction to the iron approach of the rival. Washington Corozo, due to his speed, generated more than an Alejandro Hohberg who was off and should have left earlier. It was difficult for Cristal to reach the sides and Joao Grimaldo was well controlled for much of the game. Perhaps Martín Távara would have given him the alternative with the long pass and look for Brenner Marlos to have more participation in the game.
Sporting Cristal could never beat Emelec playing in Lima. Video: Conmebol.
THE KEYS ARE OPEN
The good thing, within the negative that it was not adding in these first legs, is that both Universitario and Cristal have intact chances of qualifying. The creams close the series at the Monumental, where it will be confirmed that it will be played in a full stadium. The ‘U’ has good numbers this season: they only lost to Alianza Lima in the classic (February 19) and tied with Goiás (April 20). Then he always won. It is clear that Corinthians, even if an alternate team is present, has a level of demand that is seen on weekends in League 1. A victory by the slightest difference will force penalties. The visiting goal is not worth double.
Cristal is also bound to win and will have to do so in Guayaquil, where Emelec lost two games this year, although none at an international level: they defeated Deportivo Cuenca, Huracán and Danubio, as well as drawing with Guaraní. While the sky-blues, internationally, only won in La Paz (2-1 against The Strongest) and tied 1-1 with Fluminense. It will surely be complicated, but we also project a game that is different from what we saw at Nacional.
Local university at international level in 2023
DATE | TOURNAMENT | INSTANCE | RESULT | GOALS U |
---|---|---|---|---|
MARCH 9 | SOUTH AMERICAN | PHASE 1 | UNIVERSITY 2-0 SCIENTIST | PIERO QUISPE, EMANUEL HERRERA |
APRIL 20TH | SOUTH AMERICAN | GROUPS | University 2-2 Goiás | WILLIAMS RIVERO, ALEX VALERA |
MAY 4TH | SOUTH AMERICAN | GROUPS | UNIVERSITY 2-0 Santa Fe | EMANUEL HERRERA, DARIO DI BENEDETTO |
JUNE 28TH | SOUTH AMERICAN | GROUPS | UNIVERSITY 1-0 Gymnastics | PIERO QUISPE |
Sporting Cristal visiting internationally in 2023
DATE | TOURNAMENT | INSTANCE | RESULT | SC GOALS |
---|---|---|---|---|
FEBRUARY 21ST | LIBERATORS | PHASE 2 | NATIONAL 2-0 Crystal | – |
MARCH 9 | LIBERATORS | PHASE 3 | Hurricane 0-0 Crystal | – |
APRIL 19TH | LIBERATORS | GROUPS | RIVER PLATE 4-2 Cristal | IGNACIO, WASHINGTON COROZO |
JUNE 7TH | LIBERATORS | GROUPS | The Strongest 1-2 CRYSTAL | BRENNER MARLOS, WASHINGTON COROZO |
JUNE 27TH | LIBERATORS | GROUPS | Fluminense 1-1 Crystal | BRENNER MARLOS |
The last time the ‘U’ was local at an international level, they defeated Gimnasia de Argentina 1-0. A similar result against Corinthians will force penalties.
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