The Venezuelan football league returned after more than a month of inactivity and once again provided us with some great games, with the playoffs increasingly tight.

Estudiantes open second round of Liga FUTVE action

Estudiantes de Mérida hosted Carabobo to open the second round of this Liga FUTVE season. The visitors took the lead 30 minutes into the first half through Francisco Flores, but a second half Wilfredo Peña equaliser salvaged at least a point against one of the best teams in the league.

With this result, Carabobo remain in the final Playoff qualification spot, with Portuguesa just one point behind them. Franklin Lucena’s side are in eighth place, which would give them the last place in the Copa Sudamericana.

A match with only one objective: the playoffs

On Friday, Portuguesa won 1-0 at Metropolitanos’ stadium, in a key match in the battle for fourth place. The goal was scored by Richard Blanco, making him the second highest scorer in the tournament with seven goals, behind only Luifer Hernández on eight.

On the same day, Mineros returned to winning ways after nine matches and almost four months without victory. It was a 2-1 win at the Hermanos Colmenarez stadium. With this victory, Mineros got their first away win in the tournament and dreams of being able to save themselves from relegation to Liga FUTVE 2.

Saturday started with a game without much excitement between Rayo Zuliano and Universidad Central, with a final score of 0-0. The tricolor remain one point off the bottom of the table.

Later that day, Monagas hosted Caracas with the intention of recovering from a run of four consecutive defeats in the FUTVE League. In the end they failed to do so, losing 2-0 to Leonardo Gonzalez’s side. With this victory, Caracas consolidate their position in third place in the league.

Zamora and Angostura play out surprising thriller 

In the evening, Zamora and Angostura played each other in a match that seemed like it would go unnoticed, with both teams treading water at the bottom of the table. But against all expectations it ended up being a great spectacle full of goals.

The final score was 3-2 in favour of the team from Barinas, who suffered the match until the last minute. The winning goal was scored by 18-year-old Yohan Gonzalez in the 92nd minute of the match.

Deportivo Táchira dream of first place

The last game of matchday 16 was played on Sunday, as the Aurinegro beating La Guaira 2-0 at home. Maurice Cova turned out an exceptional performance, and was chosen as the Liga FUTVE MVP for this round of games.

With this victory, they are now six points behind Puerto Cabello – who have a game in hand.