Copa America: Paraguay 3 – Venezuela 3

July 15th, 2011 | by: Victor | Comments Off

I hate to write this AGAIN, but we suffered another heartbreaking last minute draw which has landed us in the quarterfinals against Brazil.

Just a couple of notes about the game. We started the game with a lot of momentum, but this quickly faded when Nestor Ortigoza clumsily lost the ball right outside our penalty area. To make matters worse Veron didn’t know which way to go and fell in his effort to challenge their striker. From that moment on, things were uneasy for us. In our anxiety to draw the game we wildly opened ourselves up. The back line of three didn’t help this situation. The Venezuelans could have scored more in this time.

Later, we imposed our physical strength in a series of set pieces that gave us a 3-1 lead by the 86th minute, but we were still playing below the level of our previous games. This lead was undeserved, but I will take a win any day. What followed is something completely beyond explanation. Maybe we were over confident and thought the game was over. We conceded two goals in the 90th and 92nd minute of the game. As the memorable Roberto Cabañas said of the third goal on Fox Sports en Español, “It’s embarrassing to me that a Venezuelan goalie, without discrediting him, could head a ball at the 1st post on us.”

Paraguay Brazil Preview

I asked to meet Brazil in the World Cup and I didn’t get it. I asked to meet Brazil again after our group game in the Copa America and I am finally getting it. This isn’t my favorite way of meeting them, after a poor performance against Venezuela, but the Albirroja is full of men who will put that game in the past and come out against Brazil like a whipped horse.

In our first two games we showed that we are better now than in the World Cup. Venezuela unveiled some significant problems, but since they didn’t kill us we are stronger. Sunday’s game will be a great one, a game we will finally win!

Starting XI:

Villar
Veron, Da Silva, Alcaraz, Torres
Vera, Riveros, Caceres, Estigarribia,
Barrios, Haedo

Match Prediction:
Paraguay 2 – Brazil 1

Vamos Albirroja Carajo!!!!