In a duel that brought two of the historical teams of the Libertadores Cupthe Uruguayan Penarol beat the Paraguayan on Tuesday Olympia 2-1 and climbed to second place in Group G.
Full-back Juan Manuel Ramos and Argentine striker Federico Carrizo converted the goals that allowed the local team to win against a rival that fought until the end, but failed to react in time.
After a poor performance in the first game they played in the main continental competition at the club level, Peñarol jumped onto the field of play with reinforced defense and attack.
The coach, Mauricio Larriera, opted for an eleven with three central defenders and two attackers standing inside the rival area, although this was not synonymous with an improvement.
In fact, the venue was overtaken by an Olimpia that had one of its main figures in Jorge Recalde. The forward in a hand in hand and by a few centimeters did not score from a free kick.
In the opposite arch, Peñarol did not fail. The only chance in the first half came in stoppage time and Ramos didn’t waste it.
A shot from the left back put the local team up 1-0 and calmed down the fans who filled the Campeón del Siglo stadium.
At the start of the second half, Carrizo stepped onto the pitch in place of Agustín Álvarez Martínez and it didn’t take him long to show what he could do. At 49 minutes, the Argentine striker faced goalkeeper Gastón Olveira in a one-on-one and made it 2-0.
Beaten, the Olimpia went on the attack and approached several times. Peñarol opted for the counterattack and complicated the visiting defense, led by Antolín Alcaraz.
After so much going against the rival goal, the visitor found his prize in the 80th minute. Fernando Cardozo put together a good play in the area, Recalde served a cross and Walter González sealed the 2-1 with a spectacular pirouette.
Although they quickly went ahead in search of an equalizer, Olimpia ran out of time and Peñarol closed the match with a victory that gave them golden points.
Now, after two disputed days, Larriera’s men have accumulated three points and are one below the leader, fellow Paraguayan Cerro Porteño. Further down, the Argentine Colón has three points and Olimpia closes with one.
read also
