Ramirez penalty keeps Liverpool top
Ignacio Ramirez scored a 70th minute penalty as Liverpool kept up their unbeaten start in the Uruguay Primera Division.
Ramirez notched his 10th Clausura goal of the season (21 across the season) to secure a narrow victory for the league-leaders.
💥 ¡GANÓ LIVERPOOL! @DanubioFC 0 vs 1 Liverpool
⚽️ @colo_ramirez #SomosLiverpool pic.twitter.com/oNenknzG0D
— Liverpool F.C. (@LiverpoolFC1915) March 7, 2021
The match
In a tight match, it came down to fine margins and a team move of quality to break down a stubborn opponent. Liverpool Montevideo managed to do that with fantastic link-up between Ramirez and Camilo Candido.
Martin Correa played a pass into Candido who turned sharply past a defender and played a one-two with Ramirez. Candido ran on to the pass and was hauled down by defender Sergio Rodriguez.
Rodriguez received his second yellow and was sent off. Ramirez made no mistake from the spot and his side held on to win their seventh league match of the season.
🎞 Los GOLEADORES en escena… ⚽️🔝#CampeonatoUruguayo pic.twitter.com/rpAtiWhfBk
— Campeonato Uruguayo (@CampeonatoAUF) March 11, 2021
What it means
Liverpool Montevideo are unbeaten with 25 points from 11 games, and lead the Clausura table by two points. They have scored 23 goals and conceded just nine. Liverpool host River Plate on Sunday.
Danubio have dropped to 15th in the table after their defeat. They have just eight points from 11 games.
Brilliant Carballo double keeps Nacional second
Nacional are the only other unbeaten side in the division. Jorge Giordano’s side edged past 2-1 Defensor Sporting after a brace from Felipe Carballo.
¡¡¡GANÓ NACIONAL!!! 💪🏼🔵⚪️🔴
El Decano se impuso 2-1 a @DefensorSp con goles de @FelipeCarballo8 #DaleBolso #NacionalNacional pic.twitter.com/8GgYRj1vy8
— Nacional (@Nacional) March 8, 2021
The match
His towering header from Brian Ocampo’s cross gave them the lead in the 22nd minute.
His second goal 10 minutes into the second half was a piece of brilliance. He made an interception in his own half before striding forward and carrying the ball past three players.
Carballo played a one-two with Gonzalo Bergessio which was deflected into his path. The ball was nicely set up for the midfielder and he chose to lob a shot first-time which caught out Matias Castro and flew over the goalkeeper and into the net.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ partidos oficiales
2️⃣⚽️
➕3️⃣
🔥 @FelipeCarballo8 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oCNQwZtnoi
— Nacional (@Nacional) March 8, 2021
The visitors pulled one back in the 64th minute. Rodrigo Rojo’s cross struck the arm of defender Armando Jesús Méndez Alcorta in the penalty area. Facundo Milan finished well from the spot to halve the deficit.
In a huge blow to Nacional, star striker Bergessio was dismissed with 10 minutes to go for a studs-up challenge that caught Milan on the thigh. Nacional’s top scorer will miss Saturday’s trip to Danubio.
What it means
Nacional did hold on to stay second and remain two points behind Liverpool after 11 games. Defensor Sporting are 11th with no win in six.
