OPINION: League 1, the WO and a shame that goes around the world | OPINION
They have been the worst ten minutes in history since League 1 was created, in 2019. Shameful. International paper. From the absence of the visitor, to the referee Kevin Ortega’s clothing, who decided not to put on his booties and go out with shoes, knowing clearly that he will only whistle to end a classic in an unusual way.
Sunday started with strange weather. The summer sun lashed the few colleagues who practically woke up on the outskirts of Alberto Gallardo. And to the dozens of policemen who arrived in a huge bus as well. The threat of a group of alliancist fans, to make their voices heard around the sports venue, was latent, although in the end it did not happen.
It was a strange Sunday in the stadium next to the Rímac River. An unusual classic, without fans outside waiting to enter, without a visiting team and with the local team arriving, around 8 in the morning, with a certain relaxation of knowing that they will not have to make their official debut this year against the current two-time champion. Peruvian soccer.
In the stands the murmur is heard. But they don’t even talk about football. They all played at being lawyers and astrologers. What will happen next week? they wondered. Some claimed that the rules should be followed and clubs that fail to comply will be automatically relegated. Others refused to see a tournament without the opposing clubs, including Alianza.
And while the information that Sport Boys would appear in their match against Unión Comercio, thus abandoning the opposition ship, Joel Raffo, president of Sporting Cristal, makes his appearance and talks in the western stands with Carlos Lobatón, idol and technical assistant. If perhaps there was even the slightest hope that the clásico could happen, seeing ‘Loba’, a member of Tiago Nunes’ technical command, in the stands chatting with Raffo, buried any illusion.
The match?
Time to play football, or the closest thing to it
With the confirmation of the Walk Over, Tiago Nunes ordered an open training session. We journalists had the luxury of watching half an hour of reduced football from the team that plays the best in Peruvian football. Twenty-two players -starters vs. substitutes- installed in the space of a midfield moving and playing with a maximum of two touches.
The first conclusions that can be drawn is that the Brazilian wants his attackers to have a tactical path, which is why he trusts Jostin Alarcón over Joao Grimaldo, perhaps one of the most unbalancing players in the country. And Jhilmar Lora seems to take over the right sector.
In the middle of the work, Washington Corozo caused a slight concern. The Ecuadorian, who returned to Rímac at the request of Nunes, left the field touching his right knee. He made gestures as if his knee was giving out at times. He called the doctor, did a couple of exercises and returned to the field of play, although in the official lineup he stayed on the substitute bench.
The training was strange, considering that none of the other teams that won by WO did reduced football, but only warmed up before their matches.
With the largest hand of the clock approaching 10 am, the Rimense squad returned to the dressing room to then comply with the protocol and leave with the designated referee shortlist. “This looks like a wedding where the bride dumps the groom,” says someone in the gallery. And yes, Cristal was on the field waiting for the regulation ten minutes to celebrate, without any smile, a win without playing. They were, without a doubt, the saddest ten minutes that have been lived in a football stadium in recent years. A classic that was not played, a party that did not take place.
“I have never experienced anything like this before,” Tiago Nunes commented at a press conference. The coach was concerned about the little preparation with which Cristal will arrive at the start of the Copa Libertadores (they play on the 22nd against a rival to be confirmed). Possibly they will play a friendly this Monday against Cienciano.
But Nunes spoke little about soccer. He was obvious. The context did not allow it. And then he took the microphone Joel Raffo, president of the club, to do the same thing that is being done these days: talk about positions, legal issues, conflicts. In Peru they don’t talk about soccer. And that really is sad.
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