AREQUIPA (Interstat) — FBC Melgar and CD Comerciantes Unidos played to a 1-1 draw at Estadio de la Universidad Nacional San Agustín, with a late equalizer canceling Melgar’s early lead. Melgar opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Johnny Vidales finished off an assist from Cristian Bordacahar. The goal came after Melgar had already been reduced to 10 men, with Orzan H. sent off in the fourth minute. Melgar played the rest of the match a man short but held the lead for most of the contest. The home side’s advantage lasted until the closing stages. The early red card left Melgar with 10 men for more than 85 minutes.

CD Comerciantes Unidos stayed in the match and found the equalizer in the 86th minute. Jose Parodi scored, with Matias Eric Sen credited with the assist. The late goal changed the result and denied Melgar a home victory. Parodi’s goal was the final scoring play of the match, and it arrived after a long stretch in which Melgar protected its narrow advantage. Comerciantes Unidos had to wait until the closing minutes to level the score. The visiting side’s pressure finally produced the breakthrough when Parodi converted from Sen’s pass. It was Parodi’s only goal of the match and the key moment of the second half.

Yellow cards were issued throughout. Cordova M. of Comerciantes Unidos was booked in the 20th minute, and Melgar’s Rondelli M. was cautioned in the 28th. Guzman L. of Melgar and Sen M. of Comerciantes Unidos received yellow cards in first-half stoppage time. Rodriguez J. was booked in the 49th minute, Rodriguez A. in the 67th and Alcedo F. in the 90th minute plus one. Sen’s caution came in the first half before his late assist. Melgar’s Guzman L. was also substituted in the 70th minute, and Comerciantes Unidos’ Rodriguez A. came off in the same minute after his caution. No other red cards were issued after Orzan’s early dismissal.

FBC Melgar made substitutions in the second half, with Vidales coming off in the 64th minute after scoring. Guzman L. was replaced in the 70th and Quagliata N. in the 77th. CD Comerciantes Unidos used substitutions in the 29th, 46th, 66th and 70th minutes. Guzman P. entered in the 29th, Lino D. and Gamero Y. came on in the 46th, Herrera J. entered in the 66th and Rodriguez A. was replaced in the 70th. The match at Estadio de la Universidad Nacional San Agustín in Arequipa ended level after the late goal. The result left both sides with a share of the points. The late equalizer came after several second-half substitutions had altered both lineups.

With the draw, CD Comerciantes Unidos’s record in the competition is now one win, one loss and two draws, and its record across all competitions is the same. FBC Melgar’s record in the competition is now two wins, no losses and two draws, and its all-competitions record is also two wins, no losses and two draws. Comerciantes Unidos had entered after a 3-1 win over Cienciano, a 4-2 loss to Sporting Cristal and a 1-1 draw with Juan Pablo II. Melgar had entered after a 2-1 win at Cajamarca, a 4-2 win over Deportivo Garcilaso and a 2-2 draw at U. de Deportes. The draw added another point to each side’s total in the competition. Both clubs have played four matches in the competition this season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of FBC Melgar 2, CD Comerciantes Unidos 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected FBC Melgar with an 86.3 percent probability to win. FBC Melgar had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 2.5.