UTC captain Bruno Duarte strongly criticized match officials following his team's 4-2 defeat against Universitario de Deportes in Peru's Liga 1 on matchday seven.
The Argentine defender expressed outrage over an unpunished challenge during Universitario's second goal, claiming he was heavily stamped on and left unable to react while Video Assistant Referee (VAR) officials failed to check the incident.
Duarte revealed after the match that his foot and ankle were severely swollen, leaving him unable to walk and requiring an immediate medical X-ray scan. He said UTC had played their best first-half performance of the entire tournament before conceding three goals in a single half.
VAR controversy and refereeing complaints
Addressing the contentious play, Duarte said he felt a heavy stamp on his foot that prevented him from defending during Universitario's equalizing goal. He questioned why neither the referee nor the VAR team intervened to review the challenge, noting that UTC are routinely penalized for minor infractions.
The UTC captain said the unpunished foul allowed Universitario to equalize and use that momentum to push forward for victory. He admitted feeling deeply hurt and angered by both the refereeing decisions and the outcome of the match.
Duarte expressed frustration at the broader officiating system, pointing out that while five or more referees are assigned to matches including the VAR room, no official assisted another to correct the error. He said officials simply allowed the goal to stand without reviewing the replay while he remained lying injured on the pitch, adding that he found such situations incomprehensible and unfortunate.
Match context and background
Universidad Técnica de Cajamarca, widely known as UTC, is a professional football club based in Cajamarca in northern Peru that competes in Liga 1, the top division of Peruvian football. Their opponents, Universitario de Deportes, based in the capital city of Lima, are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Peruvian football history. The fixture took place during the seventh round of the Torneo Clausura, the second tournament of Peru's two-part national championship season.
Duarte, an Argentine central defender who serves as UTC team captain, praised his squad's initial display despite the eventual loss. Looking ahead, he stressed that plenty of matches remain in the tournament, though he conceded that losing after conceding three second-half goals was a painful setback for the team.
