CUSCO (Interstat) — Cienciano turned a patient home performance into a 1-0 victory over Cajamarca at Estadio Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, using Cristian Souza’s 55th-minute goal to secure the result. The home side improved to 2-0 in the competition and 2-0 across all competitions, while Cajamarca dropped to 0-2 in the competition and 0-2 overall. Cienciano entered after a 2-0 road win at Moquegua in its previous competition match, and Cajamarca entered after a 1-0 home loss to Sporting Cristal in its previous competition match. The match remained scoreless through halftime before Cienciano broke through early in the second half.

Souza provided the decisive moment in the 55th minute, scoring the game’s only goal. Carlos Garces recorded the assist on the play and finished with 81 minutes played and a yellow card. Souza played 90 minutes and scored once. Cienciano’s breakthrough came after a first half in which clear chances were limited, and it changed the shape of a match that had been tightly contested to that point. Cajamarca searched for a response, but the visitors could not produce a finishing touch before the interval. The home side took the lead after the restart and protected it from there.

The goal was followed by a busy stretch of disciplinary decisions. Martinich M. of Cienciano was shown a yellow card in the 57th minute. In the 61st minute, Garces C. of Cienciano and Figuera A. of Cajamarca were both booked. Molins C. of Cajamarca received a yellow card in the 65th minute, and Arias Fierro S. D. of Cienciano was booked in the 70th minute. Figuera A. was shown a second yellow card in the 78th minute, leaving Cajamarca to manage the closing stages under added pressure.

Cienciano made a pair of changes at halftime, with substitutions involving Sandoval R. and Nunez C. Cajamarca made a substitution involving Cantt J. in the 69th minute, and Cienciano followed with a substitution involving Barreto G. in the same minute. Cajamarca’s de Jesus M. was involved in a substitution in the 75th minute. Cienciano then had substitutions involving Arias Fierro S. D. and Garces C. in the 81st minute. Cajamarca had substitutions involving Munoz A. in the 87th minute and Cavagna F. in the 88th minute.

Cajamarca could not find an equalizer after falling behind, and Cienciano protected the narrow advantage through the final minutes. The visitors finished with no goals, while Cienciano’s single goal proved enough for the home side to take the full result. Cienciano’s defensive work in the second half limited Cajamarca’s chances as the match moved toward its conclusion.

The result left Cienciano 2-0 in the competition and 2-0 across all competitions, while Cajamarca remained 0-2 in the competition and 0-2 overall. Cienciano’s victory came at Estadio Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, where the home side held its lead after Souza’s goal. Cajamarca pressed for a reply in the closing minutes but could not score. Cajamarca has yet to score in the competition this season after being shut out in both matches, while Cienciano has scored in both competition matches.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cienciano 1, Cajamarca 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cienciano with a 90.8 percent probability to win. Cienciano had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.75. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 3.5.