Overview
- Cienciano beat Lanús 4-0 at Estadio Inca Garcilaso de la Vega to win the tie 4-2 on aggregate and advance in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana.
- Carlos Garcés and Alejandro Hohberg each scored two goals in the match, with reports crediting their braces for the decisive turnaround.
- Lanús forward Eduardo Salvio said in a postmatch interview that Cienciano would not have eliminated Lanús 'in normal circumstances' and blamed the altitude of Cusco for the result.
- Salvio’s remarks provoked widespread reaction on social media and in local press, with coverage debating whether he minimized Cienciano’s performance or offered a legitimate explanation about high-altitude effects.
- Cienciano now prepares to face Botafogo in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, and the win raises questions about how teams adapt tactically and physically to playing in high-altitude venues like Cusco.