"Papá" finishes second in Group B with eight points and will face a third-place team from the Copa Libertadores
It wasn't their best game, but it was enough to keep them in the running. Cienciano tied 1-1 against Juventud Las Piedras of Uruguay on the final matchday of the Copa Sudamericana group stage and, with 8 points, finished second behind leader Atlético Mineiro. The goal for the Cusco team was scored by Ecuadorian Kevin Becerra, and the visitors' equalizer came from Emanuel Cecchini.
The Imperial team kept a close eye on what was happening in Brazil between Atlético Mineiro and Puerto Cabello of Venezuela, as their fate also depended heavily on that result. In the 19th minute, Becerra scored after heading in a corner kick from Cristian Souza.
With the victory, Cienciano advanced directly to the round of 16 as the group winner. However, in the 61st minute of the second half, everything changed. Cecchini headed in a cross from Emmanuel Mas to tie the game for Juventud, and at the same moment, Mineiro took the lead with a goal by Bernard. This moved the Brazilian team into first place and the Cusco team into second.
In the minutes that followed, Juventud came close to turning the game around against an apathetic and timid Cienciano. At the end of the match, we saw, on the one hand, the joy of a club that seemed content to settle for a draw and, on the other, the disappointment of a Uruguayan team that gave it their all until the very end.
Now Cienciano will have to improve significantly in preparation for the Copa Sudamericana playoff match, where it will face the team that finishes third in the Copa Libertadores. That will be determined in the draw on Friday, May 29.
