In an unprecedented turn of events during the Liga 1’s Torneo Clausura, UTC goalkeeper Ignacio «Nacho» Barrios stepped onto the field as a forward against Sport Huancayo on October 7, 2026. This move came as the club faced a crisis with no conventional substitutes left.
The match, held at the IPD stadium in Huancayo, saw UTC trailing 3-2 when Barrios entered the game wearing number 29. The moment, although brief, sparked significant reactions on social media, marking it as a unique occurrence in recent Peruvian football.
With just a couple of minutes left on the clock and facing a losing score, UTC coach Cristian Molins made a strategic decision to substitute Barrios for defender Gilmar Paredes. This swap was not arbitrary, but rather a necessity due to the limited options available on a depleted bench; UTC’s alternative roster included only six players.
Molins addressed the media after the match, explaining the difficult situation resulting from injuries: «We had discussed this option beforehand, given the context of losing three players and having some others already injured… So, we brought Barrios as a field player. The first half’s early goal might have confused our game plan.» His comments indicated that Barrios’s role as a forward was a premeditated plan due to the team’s player shortage.
Ultimately, Barrios could not change the outcome, and UTC fell 3-2, with the match concluding shortly after his introduction. The team had started strong with Marlon de Jesús scoring within the first minute, but Sport Huancayo rallied back, with Marcelo Gaona and Javier Sanguinetti giving them a halftime lead.
De Jesús scored again from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute, equalizing at 2-2, but Daniel Porozo’s decisive goal for Huancayo shortly after sealed UTC’s fate. Following the final whistle, Sport Huancayo players approached Barrios to acknowledge his efforts in a challenging situation.
While goalkeepers transitioning to forward positions is not entirely unheard of in Peruvian football, Barrios’s situation reflects the current struggles within UTC, including a ten-point deduction from the league for administrative violations. This penalty has placed them at -3 points in the Clausura, causing uncertainty ahead of their next game against Sporting Cristal on October 10, where they hope for a more complete roster and a return to normalcy for Barrios.
Fuente: www.infobae.com
