Como o jogo se desenhou

The match began with Cienciano setting the pace, culminating in Carlos Garcés opening the scoring in the 11th minute, after a quick exchange of passes that ended in a precise finish inside the area. The Peruvian dominance continued, although the visiting team tried to react with more ball possession, reaching 53% control of the game. The second half brought more caution, but in the 79th minute Alejandro Hohberg took advantage of a cross to extend the lead, sealing the victory without leaving room for an adverse reaction.

Match Highlights

In addition to the two scorers, the collective performance of Cienciano was notable in the numbers of finishes: 19 shots, 6 of which hit the target, resulting in two great opportunities converted. The Puerto Cabello team, in turn, generated only five finishes, with only two on goal, reflecting the difficulty of creating clear chances against the well-positioned Peruvian defense.

What the Numbers Say

The statistics reinforce Cienciano's superiority in the decisive moments. The club recorded five great chances, converting two, while the opponent had only one notable opportunity, which did not translate into a goal. The expected goals (xG) of 2.50 for Cienciano compared to 0.44 for Puerto Cabello indicates that the score reflected the quality of the opportunities created. Although possession was slightly in favor of the visitor, the Peruvian team knew how to be more efficient in the ball duels and finishes inside the area.

What Changes Now

With the three points added, Cienciano reinforces its leadership position in Group B, leaving little margin for Academia Puerto Cabello to recover the lost ground. Cienciano's next challenge will be against the direct rival in the next round, where maintaining the advantage will be crucial. Meanwhile, Puerto Cabello needs to improve chance creation and reduce the errors that led to the conceded goal, to remain competitive in the group stage.