Guaireña, another team from the interior of Paraguay that gets into the group stage of the South American

Guaireña de Villarrica, a city 150 km southeast of the capital, qualified Thursday night for the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana-2022 by drawing 0-0 in the rematch with Nacional de Asunción, which they had beaten in the first leg 1-0.

In the first match, a week ago, the albiceleste team had defeated the 'Academia' with a goal from their striker Antonio Marín in the 53rd minute.

On Tuesday, another team from the interior of Paraguay, General Caballero from the city of Mallorquín, located 260 km east of Asunción, eliminated the capital's Sol de América to also enter his name in the group round of the South American.

In Nacional, his new coach, Carlos Bonet, made his debut, who replaced Uruguayan Rodrigo López, under whose guidance the team had been playing a poor performance in the local Apertura championship, accumulating only 5 points in six games.

Nacional made the expense with the rival, led by Troadio Duarte, dedicated to narrowing the spaces to stop their strikers spurred by the need to score to get to the penalties.

But it was the Guaireña team that had the best chances of conquest, a prize for patience and orderly play.

Within 40 minutes, the national goalkeeper, Santiago Rojas, miraculously contained a point-blank shot by striker Richard Salinas who received perfect assistance from his attacking partner, Venezuelan Yeiber Murillo.

The rest of the game was managed by the tricolor team led by Bonet but their offensive strikers and flyers did not take advantage of their incursions through the bands.

His best player, the skilled midfielder Carlos Arrua, could not successfully develop his well-known gambetas to bring danger to the goal defended by goalkeeper Rubén Escobar.

- Repetitive and predictable -

Nacional was repetitive and predictable, with no major arguments to surprise his rival who built a wall of five defenses and two late fliers to retain the advantage gained in the first leg.

Like Quixote against the Windmills, the tricolor lashed out against the human fence that coach Troadio Duarte interposed but without getting the score he needed.

At 90+1, Nacional scored a free kick in front of Rubén Escobar's goal. The shot of the wheel Richard Prieto hit the barrier.

A subsequent corner had no consequence.

It was the last clear opportunity for the albo team to take the series to penalties.

hro/ma