Percy Liza – Sporting Cristal’s rapid striking prodigy

Carlos Percy Liza Espinoza travelled over 400 kilometres from his home in Chimbote to join Peruvian giants, Sporting Cristal as he excelled at youth level, winning two Reserve titles before participating in winning the Apertura of the Copa Bicentenario in 2021 at professional level. Two years after that long journey, he is now a starter for his club as the 21-year-old is still looking to develop in his professional career. Liza predominantly played as a winger in his early years as he physically developed faster than his peers, so they began to use him as a central striker. He played for the Ancash Region in a Regional Tournament in Peru as he played in the latter stages of the tournament where Sporting Cristal normally scout players as the Peruvian giants signed him and moved him to their dorm room in Lima not long after.

As a striker, Liza frequently watches Karim Benzema as in his youth, he watched more International football than local football while he idolized Paolo Guerrero as well. The 21-year-old made his debut in 2019 as he has been in and out of the first-team till this point as he either starts on the wing or playing through the middle. He is a lumberingly tall striker with a hulking physical presence as well as having the pace to match, being able to surge in behind and make runs into the channels to stretch an opposition defence. When he plays out wide or in the centre, he loves to drop deep, receive possession and connect play before making runs into the central spaces to have shooting opportunities. He can still develop his skill-set as he is very raw while he as the tools and potential to develop into a high-level attacking presence.

Liza is an intriguing prospect as he is a modern day multi-functional forward, being able to drop deep and receive possession while having the pace and directness to stretch the opposition defence with a run in behind. His multi-functionality has shown in the positions he occupies during games as well as the positions that he has been deployed in as he has played as a central striker as well as being deployed on both flanks as he is capable of receiving possession in the ten space during games. In the Copa Sudamericana quarter-final first-leg against Penarol, he dropped deep to receive possession in the nine-space with a poor first-touch but utilized his quickness and long-limbs to recover possession before shielding the ball and turning away from another tackle to surge forward and play the ball to an attacking teammate. The attacker would also drop into the ten-space in between two defenders to receive possession, shielding the ball from one marker and utilizing a croqueta to beat another defender as he drove the ball forward and played the ball to a teammate.

Away to Univeridad Tecnica de Cajamarca, he would make a movement to receive a long pass in the channels inside the box and lay-off to Jhilmar Lora whose cross was blocked. Then there was a moment that encapsulated his skills and the aspects of his game that he needs to improve on as he received possession by positioning himself perfectly in between two centre-backs, scanning and adjusting to remain in space while remaining onside as Sporting Cristal had an overload in the area with the centre-backs marking two other attackers in the zone. He gesticulated for possession while making a movement into space to receive a lobbed pass to turn and shield the ball from two defenders to get into a phenomenal shooting position at the top of the box to send a poorly hit strike wide of the mark. His finishing and finer aspects of his technique need improvement and refinement while as his positioning and ability to make runs in behind is phenomenal, he can scuff and mis-kick opportunities from great positions.

The 21-year-old would receive possession in the left channel as when a teammate in his area received possession, he made a dis-marking movement to surge into the channels before taking on a pass to stand his marker up and cut-back a pass to the top of the box. The left channel would prove a fruitful area for him as he received possession in this zone to cut inside and open his body to score his side’s fifth goal of the game. At home to Alianza Atletico, he would position himself on the right flank to receive possession in the channels with his back to goal to flick a pass to the nine-space with his first touch and continue his run before receiving possession and cutting back a cross across the face of goal for a teammate to put a great opportunity wide of the mark.

Liza would create another high-quality opportunity, this time from the left flank, making a phenomenally timed run in behind to receive possession and cut past a defender onto his stronger foot to square a cross across the box to a teammate who was in a fantastic shooting position, but his teammate decided to cut-back the ball for a blocked cross. The 21-year-old would then earn his side a penalty as he was positioned in the ten space before looking ahead of him and identifying a few yards of space to surge forward and gesticulate for a through ball as he received possession in behind and cut-back a pass to a striker who was fouled inside the box. The 21-year-old would finally notch an assist in a game where he created many opportunities for teammates, receiving possession in the right channel and cutting back for the striker to dummy for the left winger to apply the finish.

At home to Carlos Manucci in the Peruvian Primera Division, Liza was constantly tucking inside while also showing defensive resolve in regaining possession. The 21-year-old striker held up possession in the wide areas while consistently regaining possession in the counter-press while he also moved into the central spaces to make runs to receive possession. He then played a clever one-two to go in behind and hammer a shot over as this sequence is Liza’s favoured sequence in creating shooting opportunities for himself, receiving possession in between the lines to lay-off the ball, makes runs in behind to receive possession and have high-quality shooting opportunities. He also had another opportunity where he got in behind and back-heeled a chance into the grasp of the goalkeeper. Even though, Liza’s future probably lies as a striker playing through the middle, he currently offers a lot as an inverted forward and chance creator.

He received possession on the left flank to square for a teammate who had a poor first touch as the 21-year-old will need to improve his finishing, fine-tune his movement and ability to win aerial duels in the opposition box to be an effective presence through the middle. He would give a glimpse of his potential in the central positions as he received possession to skip past a glut of players and calmly side-foot past the keeper to score his fifth goal of the season. In the central spaces, he is also very good at receiving possession and laying off the ball as he finished the game with 3 shots as he only managed to get 1 opportunity on target while he finished the game with an impressive 4/4 takeons. Away to Alianza Universidad, Liza was good at receiving possession in between the lines, holding possession and connecting play in the nine-space. He started the game through the middle as he received possession and connected play with one-touch passes on the left flank to make a run in behind and receive possession to lay-off for a teammate to have a shooting opportunity.

Liza would then move to the right flank, making runs into the nine-space when possession was regained on the left flank, offering more attacking dimensions with his ability to make runs in behind while also dropping to receive possession to great effect. He managed to create a goalscoring opportunity with his running in behind as he got on the end of a through ball to dribble the keeper and hold the ball up before crossing the ball as his teammate was unable to get any purchase on the ball. The 21-year-old is capable of being incredibly forceful when he receives possession in the final third, receiving possession on the right flank cutting inside, driving the ball in between two men to win a foul. Liza was connecting play with Horacio Calcaterra on the right flank as he is capable of receiving possession to work one-touch passes while changing positions as he spent much of the first half, tucking inside and occupying the nine-space before moving into a primarily wide role with the ability to move into the half-space.

A massive part of Liza’s game is driving the ball at opposition defenders, trading passes with a teammate to make a run in behind and receive possession to create or have a goalscoring opportunity of his own. The 21-year-old would regain possession to drive the ball forward and play a pass to a teammate before continuing his run while in another sequence, he would work a combination with a teammate and continue his run as his teammate chose to play a pass to the flank instead of playing the ball back to him. As a tall attacker with an impeccable burst of pace and close control, he is a difficult attacker to stop when he is in full stride which allows him to earn a lot of fouls. The Peruvian attacker received possession to work a one-touch pass to Calcaterra in the half-space before Liza moved into the half-space himself to receive possession and earn a foul in the opposition half. He would receive possession in between the lines to turn and thread a pass into the attacking line.

Away to Ciencano, he received possession on the right flank to thread a through ball to his fullback to create a crossing opportunity before he received possession on the same flank to cut inside as instead of taking the shot, he looked to play a through ball to a teammate which was recovered by the opposition. The attacker seemed to struggle on the right flank as he was unable to beat players with his dribbling from deep, he was not receiving possession in the half-space while being unable to hold possession for long in the final third. The 21-year-old would receive possession and play an early cross into the box as he was normally positioned in the right half-space or tucking in as a second-striker when his side are out of possession as in crossing situations from the opposite flank he would move to the back-post.

Matches tend to be physically gruelling affairs for Liza as he is on the end of rough challenges and fouls due to his size and pace as he received possession in the centre to beat one man with his first touch before cutting past another as he was fouled by the third man. A through ball was played in behind for him as could not get on the end of the pass as he was obstructed and fouled. The 21-year-old would then have a moment where he showed his immense potential, receiving a pass to run in behind as he cut past one man, spun past another defender to beat a third defender for pace as he flicked a pass to a teammate for a cross. This sequence showed the many tools Liza has at his disposal as a dribbler as he will constantly be a threat running at defenders. He would yet have another moment showing his limitless potential, receiving possession on the right flank to cut past two players and drive the ball into the centre as he looked to lay-off the ball, but his pass was intercepted. If he could utilize his dribbling to generate more shooting opportunities for himself then he would be a more proficient attacker.

The young attacker filled many positions and roles throughout the game, stretching play on the right flank, moving into the half-space as well as the nine-space where he looked to get on the end of crosses while he would also fill a supporting role, dovetailing the main striker in the ten space. In the second-half, he was much more involved and put in a better performance, receiving possession on the right flank to hold possession and work a pass into the centre for a crossing opportunity. He finished the game with 3/7 takeons which showed he had immense potential while being a player who needs to fine-tune his game.

Away to Binacional, he began the game by being caught offside with a run in behind before he timed his second foray in behind to perfection, dropping into space while playing on the shoulder of the last man before making a run in behind to receive possession as he used his first touch to push the ball wide which made the angle tighter and allowed the opposition centre-back to recover and block his shot. The 21-year-old also showed his potential in transition when he received a lobbed pass from the goalkeeper to take a touch and lay-off to Jesus Castillo. He would spurn another opportunity which showed his need for coaching as he made another brilliant run in behind to get on the end of a cross, but he was unable to allow the ball to roll across his body and guide the ball past the keeper with his right, instead trying to finish with his right and sending the ball wide. Liza continued to hold the nine-space, making runs into the box when the ball went into the wide areas while there was a moment where he was muscled out of possession which should not happen to a player his size.

The 21-year-old had another opportunity to run in behind, but he was caught offside before he received possession and played a one-touch pass to the flank before receiving possession in the box to send a tame shot straight at the goalkeeper. He would then notch an assist, rising high to knock-on a corner into the path of Nilson Loyola to apply the finish. Two minutes later, he would notch a goal of his own, getting on the end of a Johan Madrid cross to send a diving header past the goalkeeper for his 6th goal of the season. He then received possession, swivelling and threading for a teammate in the wide areas who was caught in an offside position. Liza would have another moment of magic marred by the weaker aspect of his game as he made a run in behind to receive possession as the pass was intercepted for the Peruvian to recover the ball and drive possession into the wide areas, skip past a marker to leave him on the floor as he would have had a shooting opportunity if the ball did not bobble off his foot and into a defender’s stride. Liza finished the game with 1 chance created and 1 assist, 5 shots with 2 on target as well as 1 goal while also having ¾ takeons.

At home to Ayacucho, Liza made a run into the channels to receive possession, cut past a man before driving into the box to win a foul before making another run in behind while doing phenomenally to stay onside and take a touch as he went 1v1 with the opposition goalkeeper as he was unable to apply the finish as he slipped. Liza is constantly drawing defenders with his runs in behind when teammates in his area receive possession as in one situation, Sporting Cristal had possession in the wide areas for Liza to hold his position before making a near post run to draw a centre-back out of position. Liza is clever with making double-movements before making runs in behind in order to stay onside. He received possession from deep while being marked before playing the ball to Calcaterra as he was constantly offering runs in behind when teammates received possession in the opposition half.

He then received possession in between the lines to spin past him and drive the ball forward as he attempted to poke a pass to the wide areas, but his pass was too heavy. Liza then got in behind from a Castillo pass to spread the ball as Castillo nearly got on the end of the cross as the 21-year-old attacker took some fantastic angles when running in behind but was not receiving possession. In a top of the table clash against Alianza Lima, Liza started the game on the left flank, before occupying some central positions and settling on the right flank. He would move into the right half-space to receive possession and switch the ball to the far side. He made a fascinating double-movement to time a run in behind to perfection, pushing inside vertically from the right flank, moving closer to his marker before bursting forward as he did not receive possession.

The Peruvian then showed tremendous resolve to regain possession on the edge of his own box before he received possession again to drive the ball forward and attempt a through ball to Marcos Riquelme which was intercepted. He then had the opportunity to show his dribbling ability when he received possession in the centre to hold off one marker, and glide past a glut of opposition defenders before weaving past another glut of defenders to switch the ball to the opposite flank. He then showed an impeccable first touch when he received a switch ball and attempted to thread a pass into the centre which was intercepted. He regained possession inside his own box for a second-time when he covered for a centre-back who was out of position to deflect a cross away from goal with his head. He nearly created an opportunity for a teammate when he received possession in the channels to beat his man, get to the by-line and to drive past his marker for the second-time as he cut-back but his delivery could not find a teammate.

Liza managed to notch another assist as he flicked on for Riquelme to score his second while he received possession in behind to have a shot blocked as he was on the end of some rough challenges during the game, but he is so good in the way that he remains onside and stretches the opposition defence with runs in behind. The 21-year-old went off nursing an injury as he finished the game with 1 block and 4/8 takeons. The Peruvian youngster has become a fully-fledged first-team player adding value to his side as a multi-functional attacker while he rounds out some of the integral points of his game.

Liza is akin to Cerro Porteno’s Robert Morales in his ability to make runs off the shoulder of the last man by using double-movements to stay onside as two of his favoured double-movements are dropping into space before spinning to drive in behind as well as making vertical runs inside from the flank before bursting forward to make a run in behind. The 21-year-old is threatening in the channels as well as in running in behind, but he will need to refine his technique when he receives possession while charging at goal. For instance, he will need to improve his first touch to steer the ball towards goal where he has the physicality and pace to hold off a marker in order to apply the finish. He will also need to improve in controlling the ball, so he can take the ball in-stride and have an easier finish to make. In terms of dropping deep to receive possession and connect play, he can weave out of the tightest of areas as well as thread passes through the tightest of passing lanes or switch possession to the opposite flank.

He is akin to Penarol’s Agustin Canobbio in the many things that he adds to an attack from an attacking and defensive standpoint. He can receive possession in between the lines, make runs into the channels to receive possession and connect play to create crossing and shooting situations. The 21-year-old has 6 goals and 3 assists this season but his attacking output allows him to be a transitional tool receiving possession from deep to connect play while also being able to create space and stretch the opposition with runs in behind. In terms of defensive work, he can lead the press from the centre while being a doggish counter-presser as well as covering for teammates to regain possession in a defensive low block. Despite having to improve some aspects of his game, Liza is still a well-rounded attacker who can create and score for his side.

At the beginning of 2021, Liza extended his contract with Sporting Cristal till the end of 2023 as he could be a cheaper option for mid-level European clubs as well as MLS teams. Basel in Switzerland would be a good destination for the young attacker, especially with their recent track record of developing young talent, especially South American attackers. The Eredivisie, Portuguese Primera Liga, Belgian Jupiler Pro League as well as Ligue 1 could be an exceptional next step for the 21-year-old. Bordeaux under Gerard Lopez as well as AS Monaco would be more fitting moves as he would suit the league and their style of play. Celta Vigo under Eduardo Coudet could also be a good option as he would thrive as a second-striker in their diamond formation. In a year’s time, Liza could be one of the most sought-after prospects in the South American market.