Marching Strong in Liga 1 and Copa Libertadores! Sporting Cristal earned three points, defeating Atlético Grau by 2-1. The team, led by Tiago Nunes, had a tough task but came out on top at the Alberto Gallardo stadium, climbing to third place with 12 points. Then, Gianfranco Chávez, center-back of the team, analyzed their latest performance.
The Rimense defender spoke about the team's performance despite the challenges they faced: "The game was very intense. We knew the opponent was difficult, and after a victory, more complicated matches always follow." This refers to their recent matches in the championship.
"I believe they played their game well, running and putting pressure, and we struggled a bit at the beginning but then managed to come out on top thanks to our hierarchy," analyzed Chávez. It's worth highlighting how the team managed to overcome the absence of Irven Ávila, who suffered a serious arm injury. "We are all supporting each other. The group is very united, and that will continue until the end," he emphasized.
Gianfranco Chávez has played four matches in the current local tournament. He started the season with the match against Carlos A. Mannucci in mid-February, as a starter, and his last match was against Grau, playing the full 90 minutes. However, it's important to note that Nunes has rotated his players on multiple occasions, so no one has a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup.
The condition of Irven Ávila
Irven Ávila suffered a dislocated elbow in the match between Sporting Cristal vs. Atlético Grau, after colliding with an advertising panel (the friction was due to a collision with Eduardo Caballero). The national striker, who was on a great streak after scoring against Huracán in the Copa Libertadores, had just scored the equalizer minutes earlier and had to leave the field at 26 minutes of the first half.
His departure from the field was accompanied by applause from the audience and the concerned look of all his teammates, who gave him strength. According to the information from the broadcast, Irven Ávila's injury is a dislocation.
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