The big ones in the balance: How did Universitario, Alianza and Cristal fare in the first half of 2024?

The first half of the year has ended for Peruvian soccer and, before giving way to the season of the Peruvian national team, the greats of local soccer must make their own balances to make decisions with a view to improving what has been done in these first months.

Due to merits and joys, Universitario, Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal have been the main protagonists of Peruvian football, read League 1 and Copa Libertadores, in this first part of the year. Creams and light blues fought until the last day for the Apertura, which Ate’s team won. At the same time, the compadres competed in the Libertadores and although they were last in their respective groups, there were games in which they showed the way to be competitive.

“Without a doubt we have been the best team competing internationally and that is leading the way,” says Alianza’s sports manager, Bruno Marioni, upon his return to Lima after losing 3-2 to Fluminense at the Maracaná, a match they entered with life to qualify for the round of 16. Different face in the Apertura, where they were fourth, seven points behind the winner.

On the cream side there is an even better feeling in the words of coach Fabián Bustos. “For me, the semester was very good. It was difficult for us but we had a great tournament, we won the Apertura and we were missing a little because in Barranquilla we deserved to win the game, at home against Botafogo we also deserved more,” he assured.

Both intimates and creams were left with nothing internationally, something that Cristal suffered only in Phase 1, when it was eliminated by Always Ready. For those of Rímac, the blow was greater when they saw how the Apertura was going away on the last day.

The scorers

Already at the individual level, there are players who responded with their own names in each team and, without a doubt, in football it is the goal that rules.

Martín Cauteruccio’s scoring start broke all expectations in Cristal. The experienced forward scored 17 goals in his first seven games for the Brewers (including 4 hat-tricks and 2 doubles). Only liver inflammation kept him off the field, although he finished with 20 goals in the first part of the year.

Despite this, it must hurt the brewers that they ended up out of the Cup for not being able to reverse a 6-1 defeat to Always Ready and they were left with nothing in the Apertura for not surpassing the ‘U’ in goal difference.

On the Alliance side, despite the arrival of Cecilio Waterman, the renewal of Pablo Sabbag – he did not play due to injury – and the presence of Jeriel de Santis, Hernán Barcos continues to be the main scorer, after finishing as the team’s top scorer in the campaigns 2021 (10 points), 2022 (18) and 2023 (17). This year, between the Apertura and the Libertadores he scored nine times.

And a scorer seems to be what Universitario is missing. Although they won the Apertura by scoring goals in their last three home games (Comerciantes 6-0, Cristal 4-1 and Los Chankas 4-0), they rely only on the effectiveness of Edison Flores in front of the goal: six in League 1 plus one in the Cup, but not in what their ‘9’ in the area can do.

A care position

On the other hand, if one point must be highlighted this semester, it is, without a doubt, the defense of Universitario. The hiring of Sebastián Britos is the best of the season in the cream squad. The goalkeeper has only conceded seven goals in League 1 (only one at the Monumental) and seven more in the Cup.

Meanwhile, Alianza suffered in goal. Campos was out due to suspension, Saravia gave no guarantees and had two expulsions in a row. The issue in La Victoria is so urgent that the third goalkeeper, Ángel de la Cruz, had to make his debut.

Same problem for Cristal, who, faced with Renato Solís’ injury, turned to young Enríquez. Alejandro Duarte must return to Rímac for the Clausura.

The second half of 2024 will have the three clubs looking only at the local tournament. There will be a clean slate to try for the national title.