Atlético Tembetary — Sportivo Iteno: 2:0, Copa Paraguay

Atlético Tembetaray saw off Sportivo Iteño 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the Paraguay Cup on Wednesday evening. The hosts held their nerve after going down to a man, closing out a result that keeps them in the tie. To be fair, neither side made life easy for the other, but the home side's composure proved the difference.

C. Mercado broke the deadlock in the 31st minute, and here's the thing — it was a goal that shifted the balance without either side knowing it yet. Ten minutes later the visitors lost A. Chaparro to a red card, and the match turned on that moment. By then Tembetaray were already ahead, and the numerical advantage finally showed.

The visitors tried to claw their way back. S. Ruiz Diaz pulled one goal back for Sportivo Iteño in the 72nd minute, but the response was short-lived. A. Meza was sent off in the 78th minute, and the visitors were effectively done. The crowd roared them on, but there was no return from two men down.

The statistics tell a balanced story. Both sides finished with 50 per cent possession, 93 and 92 attacks respectively, and identical numbers of shots off target — six apiece. Tembetaray registered nine shots on target compared to four for the visitors, which accounts for the 2-0 scoreline.

The result means the hosts move closer to a quarter-final place. Iteño's recent form has been patchy at best, and this defeat adds to a pattern they'll need to address. The table goes out of the window in these games, but momentum matters — and Tembetaray have it now.