Alianza Atlético secured a 2-1 victory over Comisionistas Unidos at the Estadio Campeones del 36 on Thursday evening, opening their Clausura campaign with a hard-earned three points. The hosts, sitting eighth in the table with 37 points from 26 games, managed to outlast a stubborn 14th-placed side that had accumulated 30 points across the same number of fixtures. The match ended 2-1 after a game that swung between early dominance and a crucial turning point midway through the first half.
Jean Olivares gave Alianza Atlético the lead in the tenth minute, finishing off a probing attack that finally got over the line. Comisionistas Unidos responded quickly, and Jairo Molina levelled the score just nine minutes later with a well-taken goal. The visitors looked comfortable enough to take the points, but then things shifted. Agustín Rodríguez picked up a yellow card in the twenty-fifth minute and was sent off eight minutes later, leaving his side with a man advantage to fight against.
And here's the thing about that dismissal. Cristian Penilla converted a penalty in the fifty-sixth minute to restore Alianza Atlético's lead, and the game settled into a pattern where the hosts controlled territory while the visitors defended deep. Comisionistas Unidos had created one big chance of their own, but without Rodríguez they could not find a way through. Alianza Atlético made several changes in the second half, bringing on Jean Olivares and Jhon Sánchez in the sixty-seventh minute, with Guillermo Larios and Alexis Arias following shortly after.
The statistics told a story of control without conversion. Alianza Atlético held 68 per cent possession and registered 82 attacks compared to 74 for the visitors, but their shots accuracy sat at 19 per cent with only five shots on target. Comisionistas Unidos were more efficient in front of goal, landing 40 per cent of their attempts on target, yet they lacked the numbers to trouble the home goalkeeper. Both sides created one big chance each, and the difference came down to who took theirs.
The victory keeps Alianza Atlético in touch with the upper reaches of the table, while Comisionistas Unidos remain in the lower half after their recent run of results. The hosts had lost 1-3 to Atlético Grau in their previous outing, while the visitors drew 2-2 with Universitario before that. This result means Alianza Atlético extend their unbeaten run to four games in all competitions, and the gap between the two sides in the standings narrows to seven points.
