Being the richest squad in League 1 is not enough: the UnoxUno of Alianza’s elimination from the Cup

If Alianza in the Apertura is the only team that won all its home games – “those who go to Matute start with 1-0 down”, they repeated -, in the Cup those led by Chicho Salas have not won a single game in home, in his unbreakable fortress when it comes to the local tournament. A draw in the debut and two consecutive defeats.

In the general balance, one can speak of bad luck with injuries (Ángelo Campos first, then Andrade and Peruzzi) or the poor performance of Christian Cueva and Gabriel Costa, two stellar signings thought of in the Libertadores who disappointed; but the truth is that Alianza could never show itself as the superior team that it is in League 1. It never prevailed in the game, it did compete and based on that I ask for four points: a draw in the debut against Paranaense and a historic victory against Libertad In Paraguay.

Before Mineiro, the intimates competed with their weapons, their few weapons. The Victorian team fought for it more than they played it and, although these games should always be faced in that way, sometimes the result does not go well. Much less if there are errors like the Hulk’s goal in which almost the entire team stayed in the Brazilian area asking for a penalty that for referee Facundo Tello -from a controversial match- did not exist instead of going back to cut off a very well-carried counterattack .

Although there are still chances to opt for the South American – they must beat Paranaense in Brazil and hope that Mineiro does the same against Libertad in Paraguay -, Alianza Lima chews the defeat with the disappointment that they could obtain another result. But also with the certainty that there were things that were not done well despite taking the local tournament in a very meritorious way. This is the UnoxUno de Deporte Total of a fall that ended up burying the cupbearer dream that was in Matute.

The hierarchy of centrals

The return of Ángelo Campos was the novelty of the day. The goalkeeper returned after overcoming his injury and once again gave the team confidence with his security under the three sticks, although with the ball at his feet he missed a lot. On some occasions he complicated his own teammates with very compromising passes.

The center-back duo made up of Carlos Zambrano and Santiago García played perhaps their best game of the year. The ‘Kaiser’, with a bandage on his knee from the blow he suffered against Libertad, was a beast behind. He fought and won the splits. Garcia suffered a lot in the one-on-one, but every time he could anticipate the plays, he generated counterattacks. His vision of the game helps the Victorian cast outings.

On the right, Yordi Vílchez did what he could. Despite the fact that Edison Chávez was on the bench, a winger by nature, Salas once again decided for the central defender. Yordi never attacked, every ball that fell at his feet were crosses into the box, waiting for Barcos to win the ball. On the other side, Lagos returned to have a good performance. He did not suffer much with Cristian Pavón and joined the attack on several occasions.

A combative midfield, but imprecise

To fight the game against a team like Atlético Mineiro, a combative, fighting midfield was needed. And that is what Josepmir Ballón and Jesús Castillo were. Both ran, watched the backs of their teammates and battled for every ball. But when they had the ball at their feet, they were imprecise.

Without a midfield with the ability to have the ball, rotate it, hand it off to a teammate, it’s hard to hold possession. Neither could be the starting axis, clearly because it is not the virtue of both. Even worse if in front was a very demanding Mineiro with the lines together to recover quickly or force the long game.

Aldair Rodríguez and Bryan Reyna were more support for the wingers and midfielders than attackers. None had clear chances to face one on one and they only focused on fulfilling their defensive duties. When they received – almost always in their own half – the rival goal was very far away.

Cave just try, Boats is the best

You can talk about the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Christian Cueva has been costing Alianza, but beyond that, the fan left Matute with disappointment in the performance of the player who just last year shone with the Peruvian team on the way to Qatar 2022. He arrived thinking about the Copa Libertadores and it is precisely in this tournament where he did not perform.

The lack of rhythm and the knee injury were factors that affected their set-up, but being in June, and already eliminated, the signing of Cueva has been the disappointment of the year. Because even in the Opening Tournament he didn’t shine either. A lot was expected of him and very little was received, a few touches, more momentum than play and that, in players like him, cannot be allowed.

There is also Hernán Barcos, the 39-year-old Pirate who continues to demonstrate his total validity. He was the best of the team against Mineiro. He put up with the central defenders, assisted, tried to make them play and was even able to score a penalty if it weren’t for the fact that they charged him with a controversial offside. He is the leader of the team and he showed it in a match of the highest level.

Pablo Sabbag entered in the second half and after ten minutes he retired injured. At the end of the game he was seen on crutches. Bad fortune is around Matute. The Colombian who is on loan and for whom La Equidad would ask a fortune if they want to buy him, joins Andrés Andrade and Gino Peruzzi, the other foreigners who will spend many weeks off the courts.

Alianza, the millionaire who put together a dream team with top players like Zambrano, Cueva, Andrade, Sabbag and Costa himself -none of them cheap- was once again eliminated from the Copa Libertadores, the all-star tournament. Because being rich and powerful in Peru is not enough, it means nothing internationally. And that was reflected. Of course, that the fan does not deny that for the first time in many years the blue and whites competed.

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