Gianluca Lapadula scores again in Universitario's draw with Comerciantes Unidos, keeps up scoring streak

Universitario had the win within reach and let it slip away at home. The cream squad drew 2-2 with Comerciantes Unidos, a result that knocked them off the top of the Clausura table. It stung not to close out the match, especially since the opponent isn't the kind that usually causes trouble in Ate. But amid the bitter taste, there's one piece of news that keeps putting a smile on the fans' faces: Gianluca Lapadula came through again. The 'Bambino' converted a penalty with a hard, low strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance, once again leaving his mark on a match that turned difficult for his team. With that goal, Lapadula reached six goals in the eight matchdays he's played in the tournament, all as a starter. Killer numbers, the kind that don't happen by accident. After the final whistle, the striker didn't want to hide behind his individual performance. He went straight to talking about the result and what's next.

"We're going to work hard this week. We definitely lacked something and we'll work on it this week. We would have liked to win this match, we couldn't, and well, I think we put the cream fighting spirit into the game and it's a shame we didn't win"Gianluca Lapadula

Eyes on Matute

With the draw still fresh, talk quickly turned to what's coming: the derby against Alianza Lima in matchday nine, a match that Universitario is already starting to view differently. And there, Lapadula didn't hold back either. He knows what it means to play at Matute, and he also knows that stadium doesn't intimidate him. Why? Because he's already scored there. It happened in 2024, wearing the Peru national team jersey, in a friendly against Nicaragua that ended with the crowd celebrating his goal as if it were an official match. That memory, the striker himself says, gives him extra peace of mind heading into the upcoming clash.

"I know Matute, I got to know it through the national team, I know it's a big stadium, yes I scored a goal there. What I'll say about the derby is that this week we'll work like we've been doing, well. The fans, honestly, it's a team that trains very well. We are a giant of the world and that's it"Gianluca Lapadula

The 'Bambino's' message makes one thing clear: there's no drama over the draw with Comerciantes Unidos, but there's no room to relax either. Universitario needs to fix what went wrong at home and arrive in full form at Matute, where a good chunk of what's left of the Clausura will be decided. With Lapadula locked in and established as the squad's top scoring threat, the cream faithful's hopes remain alive, even as the team knows the next test is on another level.