The Zulia Chronicle
Match24 Feb 2027
Zulia through in the cup
A 1‑0 win over Mineros de Guayana, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.
Player ratings1 Mar 2027
No sign of nerves from Junior Castillo at 18 — 7.89
The hardest thing about being 18 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Junior Castillo did not need any: 7.89, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.
Player ratings1 Mar 2027
Nobody could get near Sergio Herrera
Successful dribbles: 23. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad1 Mar 2027
Richard Rincon in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Zulia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
The terraces1 Mar 2027
Zulia supporters have found a favourite in Elly Owande
There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 21-year-old it feels ownership of. Elly Owande has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.
Squad1 Mar 2027
Brayan Velarde gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Loan watch1 Mar 2027
Junior Cordova has seen enough of Zamora
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Zulia, and 0 appearances in 9 say he has earned the hearing.
Squad1 Mar 2027
Too much change too quickly at Zulia
6 signings in three months. Every one of them may be an upgrade and the team can still be worse for a while, which is the part of a rebuild that never appears in the transfer-window verdicts.
Squad1 Mar 2027
Salomon Otero dropped after a run of poor form
The one version of being left out a player cannot argue with, and the one he takes worst. Somebody else has been better and the team sheet says so, in public, every week until it changes.
In brief
- Match Point won or two lost for Zulia?
- Player ratings The referee tires of Brayan Velarde
- The terraces The press have found their man in Darwin Castillo