Alianza Atlético secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over UTC de Cajamarca during the eighth round of the Torneo Clausura 2026, launching the Sullana club into the upper tier of the standings. According to reports from regional sports media, the decisive moment arrived deep in stoppage time at the Estadio Campeones del 36 when Elian Muñoz struck a powerful cross-shot in the 90+7th minute.
A Demolition Start Followed by a Stark Collapse
The match began with an overwhelming offensive display from the home side, commonly known as the ‘Churres’. Just two minutes into the contest, Cristian Penilla delivered a precise cross that Hernán Lupú converted with a firm header to open the scoring. Seven minutes in, Penilla struck again, doubling Alianza Atlético’s advantage to 2-0 following an assist from Guillermo Larios. For the opening half-hour, the squad managed by Federico Urciuoli controlled the pace completely.
However, UTC mounted a steady recovery before the interval. In the 29th minute, Luis Arce swung a corner kick from the right flank directly onto the head of Manuel Ganoza, who outjumped the defensive line to beat the local goalkeeper and narrow the deficit to 2-1. Out of the break, the Cajamarca squad—playing through a turbulent period that recently saw the departure of technical director Cristian Paulucci—continued pressing. At the 59th minute mark, Luis Arce leveled the score at 2-2 after receiving a feed from teammate David Camacho, stunning the home crowd and threatening to split the points.
Late Drama and Standings Implications
As regulation time expired, the match looked destined for a draw. But deep into seven minutes of added time, Elian Muñoz found space inside the area and uncorked a fierce angled shot that settled into the back of the net, sealing the 3-2 final scoreline.
With this hard-fought victory, Alianza Atlético climbed to 16 points in the Torneo Clausura table, reinforcing their position among the tournament’s protagonists. In the overall aggregate standings, the Sullana club moved to 37 points. Conversely, UTC remained mired near the foot of the table with only 2 points in the Clausura and 10 points in the accumulated table, continuing a difficult stretch for the ‘Gavilán del Norte’.
Upcoming Fixtures
Both clubs face quick turnarounds as the Liga 1 schedule presses forward. UTC will return home to the Estadio Héroes de San Ramón to host Juan Pablo II College on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, Alianza Atlético will hit the road for an away fixture against Atlético Grau on Sunday, September 13, 2026, scheduled for 3:15 p.m. at La Matanza.
