The big season of FBC Melgar 2022 made us somewhat forget the negative trend in international participations by Peruvian clubs. At least as far as the Copa Libertadores are concerned, no national representative has progressed through the group stage since Real Garcilaso in the ever distant 2013. But even if it’s not the same tournament, it’s not fair to overlook the other Peru side that joined Quarterfinals of the South American Cup: the Cesar Vallejo University.
Caesar Vallejo It’s perhaps the Peruvian club that best fits the typical ‘if you wanted…’, mainly because of the good long-term project with José Guillermo Del Solar. “Chemo” is a very unusual case in Peruvian football as he has served as technical director of the Poet team for the fifth consecutive year. Aside from its decline in 2016, the Vallejo He usually fights for at least one place at an international tournament and in 2014 achieved the best overseas participation in his history.
The Mansiche Stadium was packed for the second leg between César Vallejo and Bahía for the 2014 Sudamericana. Photo: Diario La Industria de Trujillo
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It wasn’t the “great Peru”.
Cesar Vallejo qualified for the South American Cup 2014 after finishing fifth overall in Descentralizado 2013. At that time, the Conmebol tournament was still played by direct elimination in all phases. They were two-way keys, with the greatest weight on the away goal and there were no crosses between clubs from the same country in the first phase. In this context, Franco Navarro’s Vallejo was the one who was the most complicated rival on paper for the four Peruvians: Colombian millionaires.
After the disappointing presentations of Inti Gas and Alianza Lima (UTC tied), few fans gave a dime for the Trujillo team, who also opened the key as visitors to El Campín in Bogotá. Franco Navarro’s men fielded a 4-square-2: Salomón Libman; Pedro Requena, Emiliano Ciucci, Luis Cardoza, Jesus Rabanal; Juan Morales, John Hinostroza; Donald Millan, Ronald Quinteros; Daniel Chavez and Andy Pando.
Ronald Quinteros scored three goals with César Vallejo in the 2014 Copa Sudamericana. Photo: Industry newspaper Trujillo
As one prepared to turn off the television – perhaps he didn’t even turn it on – the most unexpected turn of events sowed the good omen of Trujillo’s remarkable campaign in this South American 2014: Just 2 minutes into the game, the goalscorer Pando took advantage of a poor goalkeeper control Luis Delgado and stole the ball to silence the Nemesio Camacho. After that, Libman and the defense fought deep inside and ‘Bear’ himself, against the odds, used a corner to score his brace at 39 minutes.
Vallejo He created the danger of a small team but had the effectiveness of a big team to take a 0-2 lead. However, striker Fernando Uribe’s quick 44′ tee shot made us think the night for the visit would not be long in coming. And as a good Peruvian club, Millonarios was penalized at 93′+. Up to this point, Libman had been huge.
However, when it seemed like another chapter in the tragi-comic ‘great Peru’, admitted Javier Reina tumbled his execution onto Libman’s right stick. To add to the epic situation, ‘Yuyo’ had chosen the other side and on top of that the rebound went inside, but luck – like never before – smiled on the Peruvian team. A week later and regardless of the adjustment in the second leg after a 2-0 lead from a Quinteros brace, Vallejo qualified 2-2 in Mansiche.
Like Real Madrid
The second phase was more of a formality than anything since Caesar Vallejo eliminates the University of Sucre after a 2-2 draw in Bolivia and a 3-0 win in Trujillo, including a Millán free-kick. It looked more difficult when it became known that the rivals in the round of 16 would be a Brazilian team: the bay by Emanuel Biancucchi, the cousin of Lionel Messi, who played at Melgar in 2018.
Donald Millán scored a superb free-kick against Universitario de Sucre in the 2014 South American Cup. Photo: Diario La Industria de Trujillo
Vallejo’s visit to the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador felt more even and solid than his presentation at Millonarios in Bogotá, and the process looked like an unclear 0-0 draw. However, the imbalance occurred with the direct ejection of Emiliano Ciucci at 63′, as the free kick after the Argentine’s dangerous foul ended in Brazilian captain Titi’s headed goal. At 80′, admitted William Barbio made it 2-0 on the first ball he touched.
The poetic epic and arguably the highlight of the entire campaign was the second leg in Trujillo. It was necessary to come back from a two-goal lead, but Franco Navarro’s men couldn’t open the gate, despite dominating and creating several dangerous situations. When the goal seemed already closed, a genius from ‘Patito’ Quinteros, who opened his foot in the penalty area and sent it into the corner, made the 1-0 at 83′.
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Willian Chiroque was one of the characters in César Vallejo’s campaign at the 2014 South American Cup. Photo: Diario La Industria de Trujillo
There was cheering and a change in mood in the Mansiche stands, but there was little time left for the comeback. Bahía even had one clean goal while Vallejo sent everything on goal. When it seemed all was lost, a pitch turned into a game that was resolved very calmly and coldly by “Pana” Tejada and Willian Chiroque, who tied the series at 92′+.
It was time for penalties and those penalties weren’t common either. It was one of Solomon Libman’s best matches of his life. The penalty shootout was extended until the goalkeeper change as both teams never gained an advantage. Libman had already saved three shots and he defined his left very well when it was his turn to be the enforcer. If he lacked anything else to consecrate, it was to cover the opposing goalkeeper’s penalty and he did: he guessed Marcelo Lomba’s shot and ranked Vallejo for the quarters.
The last memory
In this point, Vallejo It had already exceeded all minimum expectations at the start of the Copa Sudamericana. The next opponent was the mighty one National Athletics, which boasted the likes of Franco Armani, Alexander Mejía and Edwin Cardona, and would eventually reach the finals of the tournament with River Plate. The first leg in Colombia didn’t go as lopsided as expected, ending just 1-0 thanks to a deflected long-range shot from midfielder Alejandro Bernal.
The key was open and on the Fox Sports program they commented on an Atlético Nacional who had a very pleasant visit in this cup. However, Vallejo’s first half has to be one of the best minutes of football by a Peru team at international level in recent memory. It’s unforgettable how Pando, a devilish Chiroque, Millán and Co. subdued the Colombians in their bow.
Franco Armani was already the undisputed figure and in the second half he received a very clear header from Quinteros. However, the spell ended when Luis Cardoza was sent off for a double yellow card after 67 minutes. Although local dominance was maintained and also the rival at 76′ was left by the Reds Alexander Mejía at ten, a very timely disruption was enough for Edwin Cardona to make it 0-1 and liquidate the series.
Although getting that point was already a very important feat, the sting of the good minutes of football shown in front of a cast the size of this Atlético Nacional remained. Franco Navarro’s César Vallejo went from less to more in the tournament, doing what everyone is asked to do and most can’t: compete internationally. The following year he would win the Inca Tournament, but that’s a story for another day.
Results of César Vallejo in the 2014 South American Cup
- Millionaires 1-2 Caesar Vallejo
- Caesar Vallejo 2-2 millionaires
- University of Sucre 2-2 Caesar Vallejo
- Caesar Vallejo 3-0 University of Sucre
- Bay 2-0 Caesar Vallejo
- Caesar Vallejo 2(7)-0(6) shaft
- Athletic Nationals 1-0 Caesar Vallejo
- Caesar Vallejo 0-1 national athletics
César Vallejo’s usual starting team in the 2014 season
4-square-2: Solomon Libman; Jeremy Rostaing, Luis Guadalupe, Luis Cardoza, Jesus Rabanal; Ronald Quinteros, Emiliano Ciucci, Donald Millán, Willian Chiroque; Daniel Chavez, Luis Tejada.
Franco Navarro’s most-used XI in the Copa Sudamericana deviated from the usual record of the year mainly due to two factors: Andy Pando was the starter ahead of Luis Tejada along with Daniel Chávez, and Emiliano Ciucci left the front row to make the move a pair with Luis Cardoza in central defence. From here, John Hinostroza and Ronald Quinteros took turns accompanying Juan Morales in the middle.
Which was the last Peruvian team to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana?
Sporting Cristal reached the quarter-finals of the South Americans 2021 after Arsenal de Sarandí’s elimination but were eliminated by Peñarol at that stage. However, the brewery team directly agreed to the previous stage by finishing third in their group in the Copa Libertadores.
Who was César Vallejo’s technical director in 2014?
Franco Navarro, a well-known former soccer player for the Peru national team, directed Vallejo between 2014 and 2016.