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Paraguay edged past Jamaica in a one-goal victory at the Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascunan at Antofagasta which sees them almost through to the next phase of the Copa America 2015. The largely one-sided victory was sealed when Edgar Benitez scored the lone goal which proved to be the winner.
The win sees them move as table toppers in the group after their draw against the mighty Argentines in the first match. Jamaica, however, sees themselves on the brink of exiting the tournament with frustrating defeats in both games.
The Caribbeans, labelled as the underdogs in this clash, did start well in the initial phases which saw them enjoying spells of possession, with Mariappa and McCleary linking well on the right wing.
The first shot of the match fell, however, to Paraguay when Roque Santa Cruz robbed Mariappa of the ball and played a ball to the left for Bobadilla, who got it to the back post for the winger Gonzalez. His acrobatic shot was worth a try but failed to make a mark, going quite wide of the target.
Bobadilla received a pass from the right-back Valdez following which he lashed a fierce half-volley inches close to the post. The striker's movement was causing frequent headaches to the Jamaican defence, and in the half hour mark Paraguay almost went up front when Bobadilla put in a low cross into the box, but the danger was cleared.
Paraguay took the lead courtesy a freak goal. Caceres put in a long ball towards the Jamaican defence line which saw Kerr attempting to meet it with his head. His header ricocheted off the incoming Edgar Benitez before going into the net. Jamaica went frantically for an equalizer all guns blazing, leaving Paraguay a chance to counter at the swiftest. At half-time, the score stood 1-0 to Paraguay.
Three minutes after the break Caceres's effort from Santa Cruz's cross goal header found the net, but to their utter dismay it was ruled offside. Replays confirmed that he was beyond the last defender.
It was visible that Paraguay could not just sit on their lead. Samudio ran forward from defence and prodded the ball to Santa Cruz. He laid it off to the defender whose first-time shot hit the woodwork.
Paraguay surely had a case when Santa Cruz's header was almost blatantly handled by Hector in the box. This time the referee failed to notice it, however. McCleary, the only Jamaican who was brimming with confidence, took a powerful shot from the centre, missing the bottom left corner by a whisker. Paraguay was quick to react and Haedo Valdez picked up possession just outside the Jamaican area and shot just wide of the left post.
It was proving to be a matter of inches for both teams. Jamaica was the team in the ascendancy towards the latter stages, pressing immensely, but earned no clear-cut chance for their efforts. Their chance did, however, arrive in injury time when Mariappa put the ball back into the area after a failed clearance. Mattocks was first to it, but his header was well above target. And that was it as the referee drew the curtains to what was a low-scoring yet interesting affair.
Paraguay will surely need to improve against Uruguay when they face off next. Meanwhile, the men from Usain Bolt's land will have to contend with a certain Lionel Messi and his troops from Argentina.
