The duel between Sporting Cristal and Emelec started with a lot of intensity. And it is not for less, because with this match it is defined which of them advances to the round of 16 and the rimenses have a goal against, so they require a victory to tempt qualification. However, the pressure can play against, as happened to Alejandro Hohberg.
At the 60th minute of the game, the Rimense striker received a precise cross in the area, taking advantage of his position in front of the goal. However, the player was poorly positioned and could not head the ball well, directing it over the goal and thus losing the chance to put the score at 1-0 in Guayaquil.
It should be mentioned that Emelec won the first leg of the play-off in Lima 1-0, thanks to José Cevallos' goal in the 52nd minute. Therefore, the 'celestes' need to win by at least one goal tonight, in order to go to a penalty shootout. Ideally, they would score two goals in their favor, which would directly qualify them for the round of 16.
Sporting Cristal vs. Emelec: What's next for them
After the match in Guayaquil, Sporting Cristal will return to Lima to prepare for their next match, which will be played at high altitude, as their next opponent will be Melgar. Tiago Nunes' team's mission is to remain undefeated for the remainder of the championship, in order to compete for the national title. However, after playing such a tough match in the Copa Sudamericana, they will have to turn the page quickly.
The match against the Arequipeños is scheduled for this Sunday, July 23 at 3:30 p.m. at the Monumental de la UNSA stadium. The broadcast of this match will be handled by Liga 1 MAX and can also be seen on the DirecTV GO streaming platform.
On the other hand, Emelec will have to wait until the first weekend of August to compete again, as the second part of the Ecuadorian tournament will start from that date. Their opponent will be Libertad FC, although the schedule of the match is not yet known. The challenge for the 'bombillo' was to play qualifying matches in the Sudamericana, without having the competition rhythm of other leagues; however, this has also been an advantage, so that the players can rest.
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