- Los Chankas finished well above Sport Boys on the 2025 aggregate table, with around 47 points to Sport Boys' mid-30s.
- Los Chankas beat Sport Boys 2-1 in their last meeting at home (Clausura 2025), while April’s reverse fixture finished 1-1.
Sport Boys have the ball in their court
Sport Boys and Los Chankas meet on opening day of the 2026 Liga 1 - Apertura season at the Estadio Miguel Grau del Callao where the hosts must start well if they are to inspire their fans with an impressive centennial season under new management. The Sport Boys vs Los Chankas CYC prediction will be watched closely as both teams aim for a strong opening.
Sport Boys ended 2025 on a patchy run of form that saw them win a few, lose a few and draw a few, so there was not much for fans to get excited about when they eventually parted ways with their coach. In January, however, a couple of friendly wins, including a 1-0 victory over Universitario, will have given supporters a shot in the arm.
New boss Jaime De la Pava has already made his mark on the team during preseason with the team playing with a new identity that will look to be solid at the back, quick in wide areas and direct in the central areas. The Sport Boys vs Los Chankas CYC prediction is influenced by expectations of Sport Boys lining up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 hybrid, with lots of emphasis on the process of building attacks and pressing selectively.
Sport Boys’ defensive stability will be based on whether new recruit goalkeeper Juan David Torres is up to the task and if his new center-back partner Gustavo Dulanto has integrated well in preseason. Uruguayan striker Luis Urruti will be the focal point of the attack and his movement and goals should provide the final third with plenty of bite.
Los Chankas can be a handful at home
Los Chankas will also hope to carry over some momentum from last season when they finished the Clausura with a solid core that Walter Paolella has brought together since taking over in mid-2025.
Paolella has instilled a pragmatic approach in his side, who will look to play compact, be dangerous from set pieces and be physical in transitional moments when their superior strength in the box can tell. Los Chankas will always look to get the ball wide and allow their number tens to make runs in behind.
Wingers Oshiro Takeuchi and Ayrthon Quintana will stretch the play for Los Chankas and provide the pace to make their opponents pay when they get the ball in behind. Pablo Bueno is a proven ‘reference point’ striker who knows where the net is; he scored against Sport Boys last Clausura and is a threat from set piece.
Los Chankas finished around 9th on the 2025 Liga 1 aggregate table with approximately 47 points, while Sport Boys finished in the lower mid-30s. But this fixture has been even throughout the last two seasons and Los Chankas have the edge after winning two and drawing one of the last three meetings. The Sport Boys vs Los Chankas CYC preview suggests another closely contested game based on recent history.
Los Chankas will be eager to upset the odds on Saturday and prove that their attacking bite is not just for home consumption, as they were much more dangerous in front of their own fans in the second half of 2025, including a 3-1 win over Sporting Cristal. However, they were also leaky at the back on the road, so we’re going for a narrow away win or a draw in this matchup.
The contrast between De la Pava’s process-based, well-drilled teams and Paolella’s more opportunistic, physical style should lead to an interesting midfield battle on Saturday. According to our Sport Boys vs Los Chankas CYC betting tips, which team gets the second balls and controls the transitions will be key, as both teams will rely on set pieces and quick counters to break the deadlock in what is likely to be a tight affair. For this reason, our Sport Boys vs Los Chankas CYC prediction is for a low-scoring match settled by a single goal or ending level.
