Sport Incas kept their first-division ambitions alive with a 3:2 victory over UTC at Estadio Huancayo on Saturday evening. The Clausura - 10 fixture ended a nervy contest that swung between momentum and mistakes. The hosts took all three points despite a late goal that nearly levelled proceedings.
Marlon de Jesús opened the scoring in the first minute, a statement of intent that caught UTC off guard. Marcelo Gaona doubled the advantage before half-time, but Javier Sanguinetti's penalty on 45-plus-seven sent both sides to the break level. To be fair, the visitors made life uncomfortable after the restart.
And here's the thing about second-half substitutions — they changed the shape completely. Ronal Huaccha and Luis Arce came on for Sport Incas, while the hosts also saw Joshua Cantt and Javier Sanguinetti replaced. Marlon de Jesús added his second from the spot on 83 minutes, and Daniel Porozo pulled one back for UTC eight minutes later.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without control. Sport Incas held 55 per cent possession and created four big chances compared to three for the visitors. They registered 20 shots but only six found the target, while UTC managed four on target from ten attempts. By then, the match had already been decided.
What this means in the table is worth noting. Sport Incas sit 12th with 32 points from 26 games, while UTC languish in 18th on 15 points. The home side's recent form shows three wins from their last four matches, whereas the visitors have won just once in that period.
We gave a home win with 63 per cent confidence before kick-off, and the result confirmed that assessment. Sport Incas paid for a sloppy opening but responded with composure when it mattered. The relationship between pressure and performance has rarely been so clear.
