Peru had more comprehensible
championship than most South American countries, yet, still
two-phased affair. At the first stage, it was standard league format
– 16 clubs playing 30 rounds. After that the top 8 entered the
second stage as championship group, playing 14 rounds and the bottom
8 formed relegation group, also playing 14 rounds. One team was
relegated. Such structures never satisfy no matter the rules: if
teams carry their points from the first stage, then a whole bunch of
clubs have nothing to play for in the second and only go through the
motions. If everything begins anew, then the first stage is
meaningless for the top clubs. No matter which way is chosen, such
championships are open for various schemes and corruption – and
often the best schemer benefits at the end. Peru chose a variety of
the starting anew – no points were carried over from the first
stage, except for bonus points awarded to top three – depending on
their place, 3,2, and 1 point. At the bottom, penalty points wee
taken away from the last three teams, also depending on position –
the last had 3 points deducted in the second phase and the 14th
– 1. So, the first league really played largely to form the two
final groups and only the leaders had some minimal advantage. The
losers in the first phase entered with slight disadvantage the
relegation group, yet,what mattered most was still how the teams
played in the final stage.
Peru had no second division –
instead, the winners of the regional championships played promotional
tournament, also called Copa Peru. Like most South American
countries, Peru had no parallel national cup tournament and Copa Peru
had little significance in itself – the importance of winning it
was the promotion to first league. Copa Peru went through many
stages with teams from the 24 country's departments, until the final
6 moved to the final round-robin, played in Lima. This year only one
participant had familiar name – Defensor (Lima). At least on paper,
it looked like they would win promotion. In reality it was different.
The final table will provide the home cities and departments. 1.
Asociación Deportiva (Tarma, Junin) 8 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 0 - 5 - 1
2. Aguas Verdes (Zarumilla, Tumbes)
7 - 5 - 3 - 1 - 1 - 9 - 2
3. Defensor Lima (Lima, Lima) 5 - 5 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 8 - 6 4. Garcilaso (Cuzco, Cuzco) 5 - 5 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 8 - 6 5. Universidad Técnica (Cajamarca, Cajamarca) 5 - 5 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 3
- Centenario (Ayacucho, Ayacucho) 0 - 5 - 0 - 0 - 5 - 1 – 16
Centenario was out of their depth,
obviously – they lost every match they played. Defensor Lima failed
to impress.
Deportivo Centenario (Ayacucho) –
perhaps just happy to be at the finals and nothing else.
Garcilaso (Cuzco) – neither good, nor
bad, right in the middle. Standing from left: Rolando
Echegaray, Fernando Valencia, José Elguera, "Arbolito"
Gonzáles, Robinson Astete, Wilfredo Valencia.
First row: Marco Echegaray, Percy Huamán, Miguel Arapa, Javier Ugaz,el "Cóndor" Sergio Hinojosa.
First row: Marco Echegaray, Percy Huamán, Miguel Arapa, Javier Ugaz,el "Cóndor" Sergio Hinojosa.
The
battle for promotion was really between unknowns:
Aguas
Verdes, hailing from a city often flooded by the very river waters
giving the club's name, missed promotion by a point. They scored most
goals in the tournament and ended with the best goal-difference.
Small consolation.
The
winners did not lose even a match and that was the secret of success,
for they were not great scorers. One point more than Aguas Verdes and
ADT won the tournament, Copa Peru and the single promotion.
Going
to first league: standing, from left: Nicolás Miranda, Alberto
Marticorena, Rowland Chumpitaz, Alejandro Mujica, Gonzalo Ginocchio,
José Chacaltana.
First row: Luis Camacho, Juan Zapata, Carlos Gutiérrez, Angel Fuentes, Carlos Gavidia.
First row: Luis Camacho, Juan Zapata, Carlos Gutiérrez, Angel Fuentes, Carlos Gavidia.
Asociacion
Deportiva – more often just abbreviated to ADT (Asociacion
Deportiva de Tarma) – were founded in 1929, but little known. They
never played first division before. As for the squad – no familiar
names here, as expected. This was their biggest success at the time
– winners of Copa Peru for the first time and promoted to the top
league.
That
was then – Copa Peru still exists, but now it equals third division
championship. So far ADT never won it again.