Sportivo Luqueño claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Deportivo Recoleta at the Estadio Feliciano Cáceres in the Clausura stage 11 of the Professional Division. The hosts held firm despite guest possession advantage and a late red card against their opponents. Marcelo Ojeda's 85th-minute strike proved decisive after a match where both sides created similar chances. And here's the thing — this result means Sportivo Luqueño moved up to third place in the standings.
The game remained evenly balanced through the first half. Pedro David Ríos Galeano picked up a yellow card in the 20th minute for Deportivo Recoleta, followed by Paul Charpentier's booking in the 38th. Juan Falcon came on for the visitors just before the break. Tomás Muro received a second yellow in the 78th minute before eventually being sent off in the 90th minute for Deportivo Recoleta.
Substitutions came at regular intervals throughout the contest. Ronal Iván Domínguez Colmán and Paul Charpentier were replaced together in the 57th minute, while Aldo Maiz and Lautaro Comas came off for Sportivo Luqueño in the 60th. Oscar Ruiz, R. Ortiz, and Juan Franco all saw time on the pitch, with Iván Maggi and Santiago Ocampos Ibarra making late appearances for the hosts.
The statistics told a story of matched opposition. Both teams registered 97 attacks and four shots on target. Sportivo Luqueño held 42 per cent possession while Deportivo Recoleta controlled 58 per cent. The guests won more corners with 10 to 5, but the hosts took more throw-ins at 11 to 24. By then, the match had settled into a tactical battle rather than an open affair.
We had called for the hosts to win, and the prediction came good. Sportivo Luqueño never got out of second gear when it mattered, and their defensive organisation held firm. The academy graduate marked his first start with a goal, and that was enough to separate the sides. To be fair, Deportivo Recoleta had opportunities but failed to convert them.
The result shifts the table considerably. Sportivo Luqueño moved from 10th to third place with six points from four games, while Deportivo Recoleta dropped to eighth with four points from four matches. The hosts ended a run of two defeats, having lost to Olimpia and Sportivo Ameliano before this. Cup football has its own rules, and this performance showed they can compete when it counts.
Deportivo Recoleta's late dismissal came too late to salvage anything. They had pinned the hosts back for large periods and created chances from open play. The visitors' goalkeeper made three saves compared to four for Sportivo Luqueño's keeper. The table goes out of the window in these games, but points matter eventually.
