Plaza Colonia edged Cerro Largo 2-1 in the opening Group Stage match of the Uruguay Cup on Wednesday evening. The hosts took the lead through Hernán Vergara's 41st-minute strike before Víctor Amoroso equalised for the visitors shortly after half-time. Mateo Piriz then provided the decisive moment with a stoppage-time goal to secure all three points for his side.
Plaza Colonia controlled much of the early exchanges, building pressure that eventually told. Vergara's goal came just before the interval, a moment that shifted the momentum in the hosts' favour. Cerro Largo responded well after the break, with Amoroso finding the net in the 58th minute to level the scores.
The visitors should perhaps have taken the lead through their superiority in possession and attacks. They registered 79 attacks compared to 72 for the hosts and held 53 per cent of the ball. Yet their attacking output lacked the accuracy to convert their dominance into goals.
Plaza Colonia showed their efficiency when it mattered most. They registered four shots on target against three for Cerro Largo, while also earning seven corners to the visitors' four. The hosts' ability to make the most of their opportunities proved decisive in the end.
Piriz's 90+6th-minute winner ended what had been a hard-fought contest. The result gives Plaza Colonia a positive start to their Cup campaign, while Cerro Largo will need to regroup quickly. Both sides remain in the hunt for progression from Group Stage One.