Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal: Strengths and weaknesses of the great candidates to win the Clausura

Sporting Cristal, who had everything to be champion until not long ago, complicated their chances after a surprise loss to Atlético Grau at the Alberto Gallardo (2-1). However, the Rimenses managed to recover on the penultimate day with a victory in Sullana over Alianza Atlético (2-0), which made them reach the end of the road alive.

In any case, Roberto Mosquera’s team will start with a one point disadvantage for the decisive date on Sunday. Alianza Lima took advantage of the carelessness of the “brewers” with four consecutive victories in the final stretch to establish themselves at the top of the table and depend on themselves to win the championship.

In fact, after the recent victory in Ayacucho (1-0), the Blue and Whites managed to maintain their small superiority and, if they beat ADT on Sunday, there is absolutely nothing Cristal can do to avoid their championship.

Be that as it may, anything can happen at Matute and Gallardo on the last date. Both teams have high chances of consecration. And for this reason, in this note we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both.

***

LIME ALLIANCE

Alianza Lima has been the protagonist in the fight for the title in recent years, with the exception of the disastrous 2020 campaign. For now, the ‘intimates’ have assured the direct final and, among many reasons, there is the hierarchy that it maintains well consolidated the team.

In the current season, the blue and white team has had notable experience in the squad, who have been important in reaching the top in the Clausura. Beyond the great contribution and leadership of Pablo Míguez, Wilmer Aguirre, Josepmir Ballón, among others, Hernán Barcos is the veteran who has stood out the most. With 17 goals and seven assists, the ‘Pirate’ is the most influential footballer in the tournament. He has earned his renewal at full throttle, already 38 years old.

• The ‘Chicho’ and his quarry

Guillermo Salas took the reins of the intimate team at a time of great uncertainty. Only one victory in five games determined the departure of his predecessor, Carlos Bustos, and ‘Chicho’, then, took on the enormous responsibility of reversing the situation and giving the fans hope of winning the Clausura.

In eight games played, the 48-year-old coach proved to be equal to the Alliance bench. He recorded seven wins and only one loss. In the midst of it, he officially debuted the team’s promising youth players, such as Juan Pablo Goicochea and Sebastien Pineau. In addition, he was strongly committed to giving more minutes to youth players like Óscar Pinto and Oswaldo Valenzuela, who responded positively on the pitch.

• Powerful local and visiting

Alianza Lima does not shrink anywhere. In the Matute he exploits his virtues 100% and outside his fort, he always tries to measure up and stay with the victory. In fact, the intimate team is one of the three that has added the most points at home (41), achieving 13 wins, two draws and only two losses throughout the year. With Guillermo Salas, in addition, there are still no known defeats or draws in La Victoria.

Away from home, things haven’t gone bad either. In fact, Alianza is the second best visitor -only behind Cristal- with 31 points, the product of nine wins, four draws and five losses in 2022. Recently, thanks to ‘Chicho’, the Blue and Whites achieved three key victories in Jaén, Cusco and Ayacucho. They just couldn’t succeed in Trujillo (against César Vallejo).

• Top scorer and the least scored

A necessary virtue to highlight in ‘Chicho’ Salas’ Alianza is its constant pressure from the start, especially in Matute. The momentum of the fans is important in this regard. Even in the 13 goals that were celebrated at home with this coach, seven were in the first half and four before the first 10 minutes. Awesome.

Now, taking into account the numbers for all of 2022, the intimate team stands out as one of the highest scorers, having celebrated 57 goals so far. And not only that, the Blue and Whites can also boast of being the team with the least goals scored of the season, conceding only 26 goals in 35 games. In summary, Alianza Lima is a great specialist in taking care of his goal (17 unbeaten times) and a lot has to do especially with goalkeepers. If Angelo Campos isn’t there, Franco Saravia is.

Being one of the best teams of the season, there are few weaknesses that Alianza Lima can name today. Although before some defensive problems put the club on the ropes, this has been corrected over time.

Of course, one of the weakest points of the blue and white box is its left band. Richi Lagos has not been performing as well as expected of him and precisely on his side is where the ‘intimates’ suffer the most.

Another important point that Alianza Lima can play against in this final part is that it has a total of 10 players in the chapel. Yordi Vílchez, Richi Lagos, Jairo Concha, Aldair Rodríguez, Arley Rodríguez, Christian Ramos, Aldair Fuentes, Oslimg Mora, Fabio Rojas and Paolo Hurtado have to take care of any sanction in the match against ADT, because in the case of winning and suffering a yellow card, they would be low for the first leg.

***

CRYSTAL SPORTS

It is no coincidence that Sporting Cristal is currently fighting for the Clausura title. In fact, he has been among the first places in the tournament for several consecutive years. It has become a constant leader in the local championship and this only reflects the good work that the club is doing at an institutional level, which is transferred to sports.

Today, the Rímac team is in first place in the accumulated table, so whether they win the Clausura or not, their presence in the semifinals is minimally assured. Thanks to this, Cristal has become the team to beat. And is not for less.

Sporting Cristal is the current leader of the accumulated basically because it is the team that they have been able to beat the least in the season. In fact, the Rimense team has only suffered three defeats in 35 games played in Liga 1 2022. Impressive. He rarely loses and he takes refuge in it to face the final date and the other challenges to come.

Roberto Mosquera’s team does not have a net ‘9’ that is a guarantee of many goals in its squad. Percy Liza’s departure made that situation worse. However, the beer box manages to be one of the best offensive -if not the best- of the local tournament.

In fact, Cristal -strengthened by his customary possession of the ball- is the most effective in front of goal and, clearly, the one who tries to score the most. He has celebrated 70 goals in 35 games -an average of two goals per game- and no other team has scored as much as Rimense this year. Of course, there is no fixed scorer. Alejandro Hohberg and Irven Ávila are the ones who have contributed the most achievements to the team.

There is no better team than Sporting Cristal playing away. Away from home, the Rimenses have added 38 valuable points, product of 11 wins, five draws and only two losses. In addition, he has celebrated 29 goals and conceded 14, thus registering a quite positive goal difference (+15). The beer team was able to impose itself in Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco and Sullana.

Although they have only lost one game at the Alberto Gallardo, Sporting Cristal have not fared as well at home as might be expected. Inexplicably, the sky blue team becomes relatively fragile playing at home and that has taken its toll.

His balance is positive, of course. He has won 11 times, drawn five and lost once. However, he has naively lost vital points, which today could place him at the top of the Clausura without any problem and even without close followers. In fact, the local defeat against Atlético Grau (2-1) meant the end of his undefeated streak and meant that he no longer depended on himself to win the tournament.

As mentioned, Sporting Cristal is quite good when it comes to attacking, but hasn’t found the necessary balance when it comes to defending. The front line of the brewers tends to suffer a lot lately and there is no quick solution in sight.

There are already many times that the Rimense defense has been fragile. With very little you can do damage. And this has been experienced mainly in the games against Sport Boys and Atlético Grau, conceding five goals between them, which could have been more. In fact, throughout the year Cristal conceded 37 goals in 35 games, which -on average- means that he concedes at least one goal per game.