In their debut in the group stage of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, Cienciano achieved a valuable 1-1 draw against Juventud Las Piedras in a match held in Montevideo. The Cusco team, who found themselves at a disadvantage near the end of the match, managed to equalize thanks to a header from Carlos Garcés. Cienciano’s head coach, Horacio Melgarejo, expressed satisfaction with the result. During the press conference, he emphasized that “the result is fair, as Juventud played well in the first half and had chances.” Despite the challenges, the coach highlighted his team’s ability to remain unbeaten in their first match of Group B. “Cienciano showed the grit that my boys have. They are phenomenal,” Melgarejo stated, while also mentioning the need to improve in certain aspects of the game: “Footballers are human beings and can make mistakes. We are already looking at the next opponent to correct our errors,” he added. The next challenge for the ‘Papá de América’ will be on April 16, when they host Academia Puerto Cabello at the Estadio Garcilaso de la Vega, following the Venezuelan team’s 2-1 victory over Atlético Mineiro. For more details about the competition, you can check the news on the 2026 National Painting Contest.
