University student, winner and scorer: A brilliant Apertura that elevates Polo as the best and puts Oreja as a permanent fixture on Fossati’s list

When you talk to me about love, start by writing that it is unique, unison, universal and University of Sports. When you talk to me about football, tell me that Edison ‘Ears’ Flowers He will be on my team and we will shout a goooool together; no, better two goals. and be like Andy Polo: give seven assists and be a hundred times happy. In a Monumental it looks more and more gigantic, with 70 thousand throats in the stands and 11 lions showing their claws on the field. And be happy because nothing else matters, because the emotion that lasts today dresses up in the cream, champion and centenary suit.

The ‘U’ of Bustos walks through hot embers and overcomes obstacles that seem tireless. He had to score four goals against Los Chankas and he delivered. He had to secure the zero again in Sebastián Britos’ goal and he complied. He beat Alianza Lima (1-0), Melgar (2-0), Cristal (4-1), the protagonists of League 1, and he delivered.

In the year of its centenary, the cream has completed half of the campaign as its history dictates. Winner of the 2024 Apertura Tournament and proudly undefeated at home, conceding only one goal in the entire championship. Now, destiny will give him a final and challenging semester to complete the glory.

But first, both Flores and Polo have an appointment with the Peruvian team in the Copa América in the United States. Both arrive after participating in 20 of the 32 goals that the ‘U’ scored in the Apertura. Andy with 7 assists and 3 goals, while Edison with 6 goals and 4 assists.

U-turn

The match required breaking with goals from the first minute. For this reason, Fabián Bustos put together the same tactical system (3-5-2) with greater offensive weight. Corzo, Riveros and Di Benedetto in the guard; Polo and Portocarrero along the rails; Ureña as anchor, Calcaterra at his side in the set-up and Orejas Flores as a free offensive player behind Valera and Tunche Rivera.

Once the approach was exposed, Los Chankas presented a battle in the midfield to dispute possession of the ball. The resistance lasted ten minutes. ‘Orejitas’ remembered that he also kicks free kicks (this year he scored against Atlético Nacional in the US) and removed the cobweb from the goal defended by Ferreyra. 1-0 to breathe, and pay attention to what the radio says from Cajabamba in the Comerciantes-Cristal.

With the pressure of the result in their favor, the ‘U’ threw themselves on top of the rival defense. Valera connected a cross, Ferreyra cleared and Tunche Rivera scored to make it 2-0 (21′) and bring the merengue team closer to the Apertura goal.

The bad news came before the end of the first half. Cristal tightened the table with Ignácio’s 1-0, which forced the ‘U’ to score two more goals. Furthermore, as soon as the second half started (50′), Di Benedetto saw the red card for a foul.

With everything against it, with destiny raising its claims, the ‘U’ made use of its history, its mythical shirt to reverse the adversity. Valera went first at 3-0 to score his sixth goal of the year with a header after Calcaterra’s cross. And then, Flores again (68′), this time from medium distance with a kick that Lolo, Chumpitaz, Chale and Carranza pushed.

With no news away from Ate, it was enough to wait a few seconds after the final whistle for the outburst of love to be completely creamy.