FBC Melgar vs Sporting Cristal

Arequipa, two thousand three hundred metres and a fortress FBC Melgar play at the Monumental de la UNSA in Arequipa, above two thousand three hundred metres: not Cusco's extreme elevation, but enough to represent an obstacle for Lima sides. In the just-concluded Apertura, Melgar finished fifth with twenty-nine goals scored and twenty conceded, one of the better balances in the competition. A visitor with contrasting numbers Sporting Cristal, a club of great tradition from the capital, showed a first-rate attack in the same phase with twenty-eight goals, accompanied though by thirty conceded, the highest defensive figure among the top sides. Between the hosts' home factor and the solidity shown in the previous phase, the prospect of Melgar avoiding defeat I read at around 72%. A preview of a tie between two storied clubs, with altitude as the variable.