Guarani beat Sportivo Iteño 2:1 in the Round of 32 of the Copa Paraguay on 12 August at the home ground of the hosts. The away side took all three points from a match where the scoreboard told a different story from the possession figures.
Rodriguez Echeverria opened the scoring for Sportivo Iteño in the 44th minute, and here's the thing about that moment. The home side had been the more patient side early on, probing for space rather than forcing the issue. By then they had carved out a chance and converted it, taking a half-time lead that felt earned rather than lucky.
Guarani responded with purpose after the break. Meza equalised in the 60th minute, and to be fair the visitors had been growing into the game. They pressed higher, won more second balls, and suddenly the home defence looked stretched rather than solid. The momentum had shifted without anyone needing to shout.
Benitez completed the turnaround in the 71st minute, and this is where the match really turned. The away side had dominated possession all evening but only needed one clear opportunity to take control. Once that goal went in, Sportivo Iteño had nothing to do all evening, chasing shadows while Guarani managed the tempo with ease.
The statistics tell a story of control rather than efficiency. Guarani held 63 per cent possession, registered 90 attacks against 67 for their opponents, and fired 7 shots on target compared to 4. Yet the away side took two chances and scored twice, while Sportivo Iteño had four shots on target and managed only one goal. That is the sort of mismatch where one side wins the numbers and the other wins the match.
Guarani advance to the next round with a result that will give them confidence. They had more possession, more shots, more everything statistically, but what matters is they found the goals when it counted. Sportivo Iteño's exit means another season in the cup comes to an end, and they will be left wondering what more they could have done in those decisive moments.