Paraguayan Primera Division round-up: 12 de Octubre beaten, Cerro Porteño go top

Genius Sports Report
December 3, 2020

The Playbook @genius_playbook

💫 Roger Schmidt’s #Benfica have been electric this season. Their form at the Estádio da Luz was the key:

🔴 45 goals
🔴 47.3 xG
🔴 6.7 shots on goal per game
🔴 34.5 touches in opp. box per game
🔴 33.9 line-breaking passes per game

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica twitter.com/slbenfica_en/s…

SL Benfica

@slbenfica_en

W FOR 𝑹𝑶𝑮𝑬𝑹 𝑩𝑨𝑳𝑳 🔥🔥🔥

The Playbook @genius_playbook

🔴 @SLBenfica: campeões 🏆

A 3-0 win over Santa Clara sealed the deal for #Benfica, who claimed their record-extending 38th league title. It’s their first #LigaPortugal championship victory in four years. 🔥

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica

The Playbook @genius_playbook

📊 The game that lost @FCNordsjaelland the title.

@FCKobenhavn were handed the title by #fcn‘s loss to rivals @BrondbyIF. Nordsjaelland had more shots, more corners, and OVER 300 MORE completed passes (397-700).

But #Brøndby won where it matters most. ⚽️

#fcklive | #sldk

Cerro Porteño leave it late

Cerro Porteño came from behind to climb to the top of the Paraguayan league after they beat General Diaz 3-1 with ten men.

FINAAAAAAAALLLLL ⏱

A LO CICLÓN SEÑORES 👊🌪#CerroPorteño 3 – 1 #GeneralDíaz #JuegaElMásPopular #SomosPueblo 🔵🔴#CCPCGD pic.twitter.com/z777G1RjFy

— Club Cerro Porteño (@CCP1912oficial) November 29, 2020

The match

The hosts had Federico Carrizo sent off after an hour for a two-footed lunge. Things went from bad to worse as they went a goal down in the 77th minute.

Wilfrido Baez crossed for Pablo Velazquez who powered his header into the net. It looked like General Diaz were going to win their first Clausura game of the season, but Cerro Porteño fought back.

Josue Colman crossed for Oscar Ruiz to tap home an equaliser in the 86th minute. Robert Morales scored a dramatic winner in the 90th minute, and then Diaz defender Jorge Daniel Gonzales Marquet scored an own goal deep into stoppage time as he tried to intercept a counter attacking move.

12 de Octubre drop down to fifth

The win puts Cerro Porteño at the top of the league after previous league leaders 12 de Octubre were beaten 3-0 by Libertad. Adrian Emmanuel Martinez scored twice for Libertad, who went fourth with the win.

Top two face each other

Only five points separate the top nine sides in the league with the top two teams – Cerro Porteño and Olimpia having a game in hand. They battle it out on Thursday evening with the winner going top of the league. Cerro Porteño are still unbeaten with four wins and three draws.

Es hoy, equipo.

Es hoy el día en el que solo importa ganar.

Es hoy el día que salimos a comernos la cancha defendiendo nuestros colores.

Hoy dejamos todo, hoy damos todo.

¡Es hoy, #OLIMPIA!

¡A GANAR! 💪🏾 #SomosOlimpia ⚪️⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/Nitju0vP7D

— Club Olimpia (@elClubOlimpia) December 3, 2020

Santa Cruz scores again in Olimpia win

Olimpia prepared for that match with their fourth victory in their last five games – beating River Plate 3-1.

Jorge Eduardo Recalde bagged a brace in the opening 15 minutes for Olimpia. His first goal came after six minutes, heading past goalkeeper Pablo Martin Gavilan from close-range.

He then scored his second after a long pass by Alejandro Silva, controlling the ball on his chest and finding the corner.

Roque Santa Cruz made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time, scoring his 17th goal in 23 matches this season (including Apertura).

🔳#OlimpiaLIVE | #Clausura2020🏆

🙌🏼 ¡FINAL! ¡Triunfo franjeado en “El Bosque”! ¡Vamos glorioso Decano!

⚽️ #Olimpia 3-1 River Plate

➖ Fecha 8#SomosOlimpia ⚪️⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/FDn27BASwi

— Club Olimpia (@elClubOlimpia) November 28, 2020

Nacional win

Elsewhere, Nacional won a thrilling match 3-2 against Sol de America. They stay unbeaten having won three and drawn five of their eight matches.