Sport Boys Stuns League Leader Deportivo Garcilaso as Cueva Delivers From the Spot

With just nine minutes left, the scoreless draw was starting to feel like an uncomfortable result for everyone involved. Then Emilio Saba broke through on the right flank, drove to the byline and whipped in a low cross that led to a foul inside the box. The referee didn't hesitate much, but still checked the VAR monitor to confirm it: penalty. Christian Cueva grabbed the ball, set himself and made no mistake. Minute 81, 1-0, and Callao started dreaming big.

That lone goal was enough for Sport Boys to knock off none other than the leader of the Clausura 2026. Deportivo Garcilaso came into this match at the top of the table, riding a streak that suggested a tough night for the pink and whites. But Carlos Desio's side proved once again that beating them on their own turf is no easy task.

With this result, Sport Boys moved up to 17 points and thrust themselves into the title race, now just three points behind the new Clausura leader: Universitario de Deportes. The Lima giants, fresh off a crucial win over Alianza Lima at Matute, now see that result carry even more weight following Garcilaso's loss, since Garcilaso were precisely the team chasing them for top spot.

A Streak That Keeps Growing

For Sport Boys, this win was no small feat: it marked their ninth straight match unbeaten at home, a number that underscores the strong run the team is enjoying in Callao. On the other side, Deportivo Garcilaso saw an equally impressive streak come to an end: they had gone into this matchday on a run of seven matches without a loss, a stretch that had carried them to the top of the table in the first place.

The blow stings twice as much for the Cusco side: they didn't just drop points, they also surrendered the lead at the exact moment they most needed to hold onto it. Now the race for the Clausura title tightens a bit further, with Universitario on top and Sport Boys breathing down their neck.

Can Sport Boys keep up this level? The schedule won't offer much of a breather. Their next test comes against none other than Melgar in Arequipa, in matchday 10 of the Clausura, a game that promises a physical battle and one they'll need to win to stay within reach of the teams above them. After that, back in Lima for matchday 12, a high stakes clash awaits: hosting Universitario, the very rival they're now chasing in the standings.

For now, Callao is enjoying the moment. Knocking off the league leader with a late penalty goal carries that special flavor that keeps the dream of something big alive this Clausura.