The heat of Piura does not intimidate Melgar, and although they struggled to create clear scoring chances, they finally managed to take the lead against Atlético Grau. Bernardo Cuesta scored a great header and secured the 1-0 victory for 'Dominó' in the match corresponding to matchday 18 of the Torneo Clausura 2022.
It all started with Paolo Reyna, who dribbled down the left wing to find Alexis Arias. Then, 'Chaka' looked up and did not hesitate to send a precise cross to the heart of the penalty area, where Cuesta appeared and only had to direct his header to score the first goal of the afternoon.
If this result remains, the team led by Pablo Lavallén would be guaranteeing, at least, direct qualification to the final of the Liga 1 2022 - by being the champion of the Torneo Apertura and being among the top two in the accumulated table. On the other hand, 'Albos' need to turn the situation around if they want to keep dreaming of qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana 2023.
Atlético Grau vs. Melgar: match preview
The Piura team comes to this match after defeating Sporting Cristal 2-1 away from home. The team led by Gustavo Álvarez played a good match in which they were effective in front of the goal. With this result, they are in third position with 34 points, obtained in 17 matches played.
On the other hand, Melgar arrives with high morale after defeating Sport Boys 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium of UNSA. Pablo Lavallén's team played an excellent match in which they dominated their opponent. With this victory, they are in fourth place with 33 points, obtained in 16 matches played.
It's worth noting that the last time both teams faced each other, Melgar ended up winning by the minimum difference. In that match, Bernardo Cuesta scored the only goal to give three important points to 'Dominó', who won the Torneo Apertura 2022 title.
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