Deportivo Garcilaso edge UTC Cajamarca in five-goal Liga 1 thriller

Deportivo Garcilaso produced a stirring second-half comeback to beat UTC Cajamarca 3-2 in Peruvian Liga 1 action on 3 November 2026, turning a pulsating contest at the Estadio Héroes de San Ramón into one of the standout results of the round. Matías Sen struck twice, including a late winner, as the Cusco side claimed all three points on the road.

The match had everything expected from a Liga 1 fixture in Cajamarca: an early goal, a penalty, a swing in momentum and a decisive finish in the final ten minutes. UTC Cajamarca had led 2-1 at half-time, but Deportivo Garcilaso raised their intensity after the break and punished the home side with two well-worked goals.

Match overview

Deportivo Garcilaso started brightly and took the lead in the eighth minute when Sen latched onto a loose ball inside the penalty area and finished low past the UTC goalkeeper. The early goal forced UTC Cajamarca to respond, and the home side gradually settled into the game through sustained possession and pressure down the flanks.

UTC equalised in the 27th minute through Diego Mayora, who converted from close range after a driven cross from the right. Fourteen minutes later, the hosts were awarded a penalty after a handball inside the box, and Piero Serra converted confidently to send UTC into the break with a 2-1 advantage.

Deportivo Garcilaso regrouped at half-time and equalised in the 63rd minute when Bruno Cáceres curled a composed finish beyond the goalkeeper. With the game opening up, both sides created chances, but it was Garcilaso who found the decisive moment nine minutes from time, Sen rising highest to head home a measured cross and seal a 3-2 victory.

Key moments

• 8th minute: Matías Sen opens the scoring for Deportivo Garcilaso after a quick turnover in the UTC half.
• 27th minute: Diego Mayora levels for UTC Cajamarca with a close-range finish.
• 41st minute: Piero Serra converts a penalty to give UTC a 2-1 half-time lead.
• 63rd minute: Bruno Cáceres equalises for Garcilaso with a precise curling effort.
• 81st minute: Sen heads in the winner, completing his brace and securing all three points.

Tactical story

UTC Cajamarca controlled long spells of the first half by pushing their full-backs high and forcing Garcilaso into deep defending. The penalty gave the home side a deserved cushion, but their inability to manage transitions after the break proved costly. Garcilaso targeted the space behind UTC’s advanced full-backs and found joy through quick switches of play.

Deportivo Garcilaso’s second-half adjustments were decisive. Their midfield pressed higher, reducing the time UTC’s deep-lying playmakers had on the ball, and the introduction of fresh legs on the right flank stretched the home defence. The winning goal came from exactly that pattern: a patient build-up, a wide overload and a cross met by Sen’s intelligent movement.

Standout players

Matías Sen was the obvious difference-maker, scoring the opener and the late winner while constantly occupying both UTC centre-backs. Bruno Cáceres was equally influential, linking midfield and attack and scoring the equaliser that changed the mood of the match. For UTC Cajamarca, Diego Mayora and Piero Serra impressed in the first half, but the home side could not sustain their control after the interval.

Liga 1 table impact

The win strengthens Deportivo Garcilaso’s position in the Peruvian Liga 1 standings and gives them valuable momentum in the race for a top-half finish. For UTC Cajamarca, the defeat is a painful one, especially after leading at home, and leaves them searching for consistency in a competitive Liga 1 season. The result also underlines how important away form is becoming in the Peruvian top flight.