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Penalty-Kick at the death secures victory

July 8 2004 - A spot-kick earned by midfielder Julio dos Santos, on 86 minutes, sealed a hard-fought win by Paraguay over Costa Rica in their opening match in Group C of Copa América. The fixture, held in Arequipa, south of Peru, presented a low technical level. The Paraguayans, represented basically by their Pre-Olympic team, created few chances throughout the match. Costa Rica, with debutant coach Jorge Luis Pinto at the helm, showcased an unattractive football.

In the first half, Paraguay tried their luck with long-distance strikes, that flew far from Ricardo Gonzalez¿s goal. Paraguayan striker Nelson Haedo created the best chances for Carlos Jara Saguier¿s side. Costa Rica took a long time to find their form and only threatened Edgar Barreto¿s goal on 22 minutes, when midfielder Steven Bryce¿s effort from the right forced the keeper to make the save at his second attempt. Thereafter, both teams refused to move forward and the stalemate was a fair result for the football skills shown in the first period.

In order to improve his side, Paraguayan manager Carlos Jará, who has coached the top team since replacing Aníbal Ruíz, swapped an unproductive Jorge Britez for Julio dos Santos. The change had little effect. Only in the dying minutes, after a fine individual effort by Fredy Bareiro, Paraguay managed to break the deadlock. After storming into the box, the striker was tripped by defender Mauricio Wright. Referee Oscar Ruiz conceded the penalty-kick, converted by Julio dos Santos. The 1-nil win puts Paraguay at the top of the table in Group C, which also boasts Brazil and Chile.

Manager Carlos Jará is glad with the tactical work done by his team. "Paraguay worked well in defense. At the end, they moved forward and earned a penalty that rewarded our efforts. Victory was an important step, but there´s still a long way to go."

Source : Global.Terra.com / Rodolfo Rodrquez

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