Melgar won the Apertura Tournament: what the title means, the start of the Clausura and the League 1 play-offs

The 0-0 at Melanio Coloma de Sullana allowed Melgar to celebrate the Opening Tournament. The team from Arequipa won the first tournament of the year with 41 points, one point more than Sport Huancayo, who beat SPort Boys 3-2 in Villa El Salvador. Suffering result for the characatos, since in the north of Peru they played with 10 men throughout the second half.

After an extraordinary campaign led by the Argentine Nestor Lawrencewho will direct the Colombian team once the contest is over, the rojinegros finish leaders with 13 wins, two draws and three losses. An iron defense has been his greatest strength (he is the least beaten with 11 goals against in 18 games).

The Apertura Tournament was the first great objective for the characata squad, since with this success a place in the fight for the national title is assured, although for that it must be among the first eight of the accumulated. “In the event that it fails to place itself within these positions, the club will lose the right to qualify for the play-offs”, say the bases. Something that Melgar should specify since he has more than 10 points of advantage with the ninth at the moment.

Melgar, in addition to fighting for League 1, took a big step to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana. Last Wednesday they tied 0-0 against Deportivo Cali in Colombia and this Wednesday they play the second leg in Arequipa. A victory places him among the top eight in the tournament, which will allow him to add $600,000 in prize money, to the $1.5 million he already has for having made it through Round 1 and the group stage.

Clausura: When does it start, how is it defined and how is the transfer market going?

The Closing Tournament basically defined as the Opening. The important thing now is to know when it starts. According to the League 1 schedule, the second tournament of the year will start on July 9, just a week after the Apertura ended, and is scheduled to end in October. This is because a possible qualification of Peru to the Qatar 2022 World Cup was in mind. Sporting Cristal and Sport Huancayo will be in charge of opening the championship at the Alberto Gallardo stadium, while Alianza Lima will visit Grau and Universitario will receive Cantolao at the Monumental .

One of the most anticipated meetings is the Sporting Cristal vs. Lima Alliance which is scheduled for Sunday, July 31, at the Gallardo, as part of the fifth day. On the 10th the classic between intimates and creams will take place, although there is still no confirmed day or time.

As for the transfer market, the big three have not yet made contracts. Although Alliance (Edgar Benitez due to termination of contract) and University (rafael guarderas on loan to Alianza Atlético, Joao Villamarin to UTC and Robert Villamarin by rescission of link) have already submitted casualties. Meanwhile, Cristal is about to sell to Christopher Gonzales Y Yoshimar Yotun He ends his bond with the idea of ​​playing abroad again.

The intimates could make official in the next few days Pablo Hurtado. In addition, they are looking for a foreign player to take the place of ‘Pájaro’ Benítez. For its part, the ‘U’ has as its new coach Carlos Compagnucci; and Cristal would have the Panamanian in her sights Gabriel Torres as next ‘9′.

The transfer market in Peruvian soccer opened on June 13 and will close on July 10, the same day that the first day of the Clausura will be played.

How are the play-offs defined?

The play-offs will be played with the single elimination system in round-trip matches; that is, the semifinals and finals, if any. And it is that, according to the bases, if a club wins the Apertura and the Clausura, it will be proclaimed national champion without the need to dispute a definition. The last team to follow that path was Alianza Lima in 2017.

If the Apertura and Clausura had two different winners, then the semifinals would be played. Of course, these two clubs must finish within the first 8 of the accumulated. To them will be added those who finish in first and second position of the accumulated. The keys will be closed between the one with the highest score against the one with the lowest score, and the one with the second best position against the one that remains.

However, if the winner of the Apertura or Clausura finish in the first or second position of the final table, they would go directly to the final, and only open one semifinal: between the other champion vs. the other best placed in the accumulated. Likewise, if the winners finish in the first and second slots of the jackpot -regardless of the order- only the grand final will be played.

In any of the two instances -semi-finals or the grand final-, two games will be played (round trip). If equality persists after both matches, the team with the greater goal difference will be declared the winner. And if they continue tied, everything will be defined by the penalty shootout.

How will the quotas be given to the Libertadores and Sudamericana?

Regarding the tickets granted by League 1 to the international tournaments -Libertadores and Sudamericana-, everything is divided as follows:

• Peru 1 Libertadores: National Champion of the Betsson League 1 2022.
• Peru 2 Libertadores: National Runner-up of the Betsson League 1 2022.
• Peru 3 Libertadores: Third Place in Liga1 Betsson 2022.
• Peru 4 Libertadores: Fourth Place in Liga1 Betsson 2022.

• Peru 1 South American: Fifth Place in Liga1 Betsson 2022.
• Peru 2 South American: Sixth Place in Liga1 Betsson 2022.
• Peru 3 South American: Seventh Place in Liga1 Betsson 2022.
• Peru 4 South American: Champion of the 2022 Bicentennial Cup.

On the other hand, if the champion of the Bicentennial Cup obtains a place in the league that allows him to access one of the international tournaments, his place as Peru 4 in the Sudamericana will be given to the eighth place in the accumulated table.