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A few days before the first leg of the Liga 1 Betsson final, there are still some details to be finalized before the match between Universitario de Deportes and Alianza Lima at the Monumental stadium. At the moment, tickets for this match have sold like hot cakes and it has been confirmed that all tickets have been sold out in Ate; as for the teams, they are already preparing their game strategy and it remains to be seen which referee will officiate this match.
According to RPP, the chosen referee for this match is Kevin Ortega, who has officiated 37 matches throughout this year, including being part of the refereeing team in the draw between Brazil and Venezuela, for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. In addition, he has officiated 22 matches in the local tournament and two in the Second Division.
Another detail provided by the radio station is that initially, Ortega was considered as the referee for the second leg at the Alejando Villanueva stadium, but that option was discarded after the referee confirmed that he had to be in Saudi Arabia the following week to officiate the match between Al Ittihad vs Abha.
Despite his international experience, the Peruvian referee has not been immune to criticism and complaints. In the Round of 16 of this year's Copa Sudamericana, Ortega disallowed the equalizing goal between Atlético Paranaense and Bolívar, which led to a complaint being filed against him with CONMEBOL. Another controversy he was involved in was during the match between Always Ready and Boca Juniors in the 2022 Copa Libertadores, after he awarded a penalty in favor of 'Xeneize'.
Universitario vs. Alianza Lima: how they reached the final
Universitario de Deportes qualified for the national title final after winning the 2023 Clausura Tournament. They obtained 39 points and finished in first place, with a one-point advantage over Melgar, two points over Alianza Lima, and three points over Sporting Cristal. The team led by Jorge Fossati achieved eleven victories, six draws, and one defeat. Additionally, they scored 28 goals and only conceded eight.
Alianza Lima, on the other hand, did the same with the 2023 Apertura Tournament, where they showed to be a true powerhouse. They obtained 14 victories and four defeats in 18 matches played. In this way, they achieved 42 points and finished seven points ahead of Sporting Cristal, the team that finished in second place. The 'íntimos' were close to being three-time champions (they almost won the Clausura), but now they have the opportunity to achieve it against their classic rival.
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