Cienciano 1, Sporting Cristal 2

LIMA, Peru (Interstat) — In a match that played out almost precisely as the number crunchers had foreseen, Sporting Cristal opened its Peruvian Primera División campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Cienciano on Friday afternoon at Estadio Alberto Gallardo. The contest, the season opener for both clubs, was largely dictated by a 55th-minute red card shown to Cienciano’s Catriel Cabellos, which forced the visitors to play a man down for the final 35 minutes. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Cienciano mounted a furious, last-gasp challenge that nearly stole a point before the hosts ultimately secured the win in the fourth… Read more...