Sport Boys' hopes of closing the Clausura campaign on a positive note were extinguished inside the first seven minutes as FBC Melgar struck twice to secure a 2-0 victory at the Estadio Miguel Grau del Callao. The result, which the Lemeister model had rated as a close contest with the visitors holding a slight 36 per cent win probability, was effectively decided before the home side could find any rhythm.
Melgar needed just two minutes to take the lead. C. Bordacahar, starting the move and finishing it, scored the opening goal to hand his side an immediate advantage. The early setback for Sport Boys was compounded five minutes later when J. Archimbaud doubled the lead, with P. Lavandeira providing the assist. Those two quick goals, both registered in the first seven minutes, gave the visitors a commanding platform from which they never looked back.
Despite trailing by two goals for virtually the entire match, Sport Boys dominated possession with 61 per cent and completed 419 passes at a 76 per cent accuracy rate, compared to Melgar's 270 passes at 66 per cent accuracy. However, that territorial control did not translate into clear-cut opportunities. The home side managed 11 total shots but only four on target, with four efforts coming from inside the box and seven from outside. Their expected goals output, while not explicitly listed, was not enough to seriously trouble the Melgar defence.
Melgar, by contrast, were far more incisive in the final third. They registered 13 shots, six of which were on target, and a remarkable 12 of their attempts came from inside the penalty area. That efficiency in dangerous positions was the defining statistical difference between the two sides. The visitors also won six corner kicks to Sport Boys' nine but generated the clearer chances throughout the contest.
The match was not without its disciplinary blemishes. Cristian Techera and Kevin Peña were booked for Sport Boys, while Leonel González and Walter Tandazo received yellow cards for Melgar. The foul count was relatively even, with 11 committed by the home side and 14 by the away side, and both goalkeepers made four saves apiece.
From a player ratings perspective, Pablo Lavandeira was the standout performer with a rating of 8.2, underlining his influence from midfield that included the assist for Archimbaud's goal. Cristian Bordacahar, who scored the opener, was rated 7.9, while Leonel González earned a 7.7 for his defensive contribution. Carlos Cáceda and Leonel Galeano also posted solid ratings of 7.5 and 7.3 respectively. For Sport Boys, only goalkeeper Steven Rivadeneyra earned a mention in the top ratings with a 7.3, reflecting a busy but ultimately unrewarding afternoon.
The defeat leaves Sport Boys with little to play for in the final stages of the Clausura, while FBC Melgar's two-goal victory, built on ruthless early finishing and superior shot placement, strengthens their position in the table. The Lemeister model's projection of a narrow away win proved accurate, though the 2-0 margin was more convincing than the expected 1-0 read suggested.
