Explosive opening round for Paraguayans in Mexico

They scored six goals on Sunday, becoming the highest scoring foreigners in the first division that day.

Five new Paraguayan players will be giving up empanadas, chipa guazu, bori-bori, and asados for tacos, burritos, and quesadillas as they begin their new lives in the Liga Mexicana de Futbol.

The newcomers to Mexico are:
1) Pedro Benitez (Tigres/defender)
2) Julio Aguilar (Tigres/striker)
3) Enrique Vera (America/midfielder)
4) Ariel Bogado (Atlas/striker)
5) Dante Lopez (Pumas/striker)

These players will be joining 8 others who have already played at least one season.

The Mexican first division currently has 93 foreigners playing in their ranks. The most numerous are the Argentines (36), followed by Paraguayans (13), Uruguay (12), Brazil (9), Colombia (7), Chile (5), USA (4), Panama (2), Costa Rica (1), Ecuador (1), and Venezuela (1). While most South American players dream of playing in Europe, Mexico has become a popular destination for several young Paraguayans like Julio Aguilar and Pablo Zeballos.

The most prominent is Salvador Cabanas. His solid performances for America and Paraguay, especially against Brazilians, have led the Brazilian press to refer to him as the “grim reaper” of Brazil (loosely translated). In fact, their correspondents for the Paraguay-Brazil game were surprised that it was Roque that got almost all the attention at home, not Salvador!

Salvador has done it again this weekend and scored two goals in America’s first game. He has been joined in America by another Paraguay international, Enrique Vera, Libertadores champion with Liga Deportiva Universitaria (Ecuador).

Paraguayans scored a total of six goals: Ariel Bogado (2), Dante Lopez (1), and Pablo Zeballos of Cruz Azul (1). Uruguayans also had a great debut, scoring a total of five goals, followed by three Argentine goals.

The Mexican League is decidedly competitive, as the teams that make it up. How long do you think it will be before we have a Mexican champion of the Copa Libertadores? After all, they have been scratching at a place in the final several times now?

How long will it be before they win the Copa America?

Fuerza albirroja!!

Un abrazo,

Watch Cabanas magnificent goal at about 5:00