Guarani claimed a 2:1 victory over Libertad Asunción in the Clausura stage three fixture on Saturday evening. The result leaves both sides level on six points after three matches, with the hosts sitting fourth and the visitors third in the table. And here's the thing about this particular encounter — it was never going to be straightforward for either outfit.
Oscar R. Vera opened the scoring for Libertad just before the interval, finding the net in the 45+1 minute. The away side's momentum was abruptly halted when he was shown a second yellow card, resulting in a red card in the 52nd minute. To be fair, the dismissal shifted the balance entirely, even if the visitors had dominated possession overall.
Pedro Coronel pulled Guarani back into the contest with a well-taken goal in the 64th minute. The home side had already made several changes, bringing on G. Gomez and F. Carrizo in the first half, while M. Jacquet arrived in the second. The substitution pattern suggested both managers were preparing for a tense finish.
Diego Fernandez proved to be the decisive figure, netting the winner in the 74th minute and receiving a yellow card shortly after in the 75th minute. The goal came after a period where Guarani had worked hard to contain the visitors' attacking threat. By then, the momentum had clearly swung in favour of the home side.
Statistically, the match told an interesting story. Libertad registered 122 attacks compared to Guarani's 89, and completed 512 passes against 316. Both teams held 50% possession, but the visitors' inability to convert their dominance into goals became apparent. Guarani managed three shots on target with a 21% accuracy rate, while Libertad achieved 30% accuracy from their three attempts on goal.
The result means both clubs remain within touching distance of each other in the standings. Guarani's recent form included a 1:0 win over San Lorenzo, while Libertad had beaten Deportivo Recoleta 4:1 in their previous outing. This win could prove crucial as the Clausura campaign progresses.
