Chile power past Paraguay to claim First Win of 2019

In what was the 29th test match between Los Cóndores, and Los Yákares Chile powered past Paraguay to win 53-10, and in doing so claimed their first win of 2019.

Paraguay’s one win over Chile was by 25-24 in Santiago. Today’s match-up was vastly different with Chile being the much better team of the two and completing a comprehensive victory on the road.

Six minutes into the match saw Chile opening the scoring. Doing so was right winger Tomás Salas who scored a solo try which saw him throwing a dummy inside his own half and running 60 meters to score untouched.

Converting the try was Benjamín Baraona. The fly half had a busy match which included setting-up Chile’s second try. It came from 10 meters out as he chipped over the defense for center Iñaki Ayarza to chase, gather, and score.

Trailing 14-0 at the completion of the opening quarter Paraguay needed to score next. They would do so in the form of a penalty. Slotting it was winger Marcelo Matiauda to make it an 11 point deficit after 26 minutes of play.

Rather than give Los Yákares a boost the score would be replied to swiftly from Los Cóndores. Scoring the third try for the Chileans was flanker Ignacio Silva. His break down the left side saw him break two tackles and beat one more Paraguayan to score a memorable try.

Four minutes from half-time Pablo Huete set-up a classic forwards push-over try. The French-based professional took line-out ball from which Chile mauled forward for tight head prop Matías Dittus to tough down. The conversion would be off-target though Chile would take a 24-3 lead into half-time.

Just like he finished the scoring in the opening half, Dittus would also begin the scoring after the break. In the 43rd minute he barged over from close range, doing so after winger Julio Blanc had made an impressive dart down the left.

Shots at goal were not finding target but Chile was able to continue to score tries. The next to do so was replacement flanker Augusto Sarmiento. His 53rd minute score came from an attacking line out and saw little defense from Paraguay to hold him back.

The try of the match would follow. Touching down was Blanc who ran from inside his own half, handed-off Matiauda and sped past three others. Santiago Videla’s conversion was wide which saw Chile again denying themselves of additional points.

Not to be outdone Salas would follow the example of Blanc to score down the right touchline. Inside center Santiago Videla would convert to take Chile to within one score of 50 points.

Los Cóndores would pass 50 but before doing so Paraguay would cross for a try of their own. Doing so was captain Emilio Gorostiaga who charged over from close range. Ignacio Silva would score next to cancel it out and end the match.

 

SCORING

PARAGUAY 10
Tries – E. Gorostiaga (73′)
Cons – S. Urbieta 1/1 (74′)
Pens – M. Matiauda 1/1 (26′)
Yellow cards – E. Gorostiaga (34′), R. Cardona (41′)

CHILE 53
Tries – T. Salas 2 (6′, 61′), I. Ayarza (13′), M. Sigren (27′), M. Dittus 2 (36′, 42′), A. Sarmiento (51′), J. Blanc (55′), I. Silva (80′)
Cons – B. Baraona 2/6 (7′, 14′), S. Videla 2/3 (62′, 80′)
Yellow cards – N. Garafulic (41′), F. Garrido (77′)

 

TEAMS

PARAGUAY
1 Joaquín Vera (18 Santiago Cabrera 62′), 2 Emiliano Gorostiaga (capt.), 3 Enrique Quinteros (16 Martín Sitjar 43′), 4 Mario Bravo (20 Gonzalo Alvarado 52′), 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Enrique Riera (19 Ariel Nuñez HT), 7 Marcos Riquelme, 8 Carlos Plate, 9 Gastón Navas (21 Eymard Brizuela 58′), 10 Sebastián Urbieta, 11 Renato Cardona, 12 Diego Argaña, 13 Gonzalo Berdejo, 14 Marcelo Matiauda (22 Joaquín Auge 60′), 15 Horacio Aguero (23 Juan González 30′)

Not used: 17 Camilo Blasco

CHILE
1 Javier Carrasco (17 Marcelo Huerta 47′), 2 Tomás Dussaillant (16 Raimundo Martínez 62′), 3 Matías Dittus (18 José Tomás Munita 47′), 4 Javier Eissmann (20 Augusto Sarmiento 47′), 5 Pablo Huete (19 Francisco Garrido 60′), 6 Martín Sigren (capt.), 7 Nicolás Garafulic (21 Benjamín Soto 54′), 8 Ignacio Silva, 9 Domingo Saavedra, 10 Benjamín Baraona (22 Beltrán Vergara 52′), 11 Julio Blanc (23 Lucca Avelli 62′), 12 Santiago Videla, 13 Iñaki Ayarza, 14 Tomás Salas, 15 Christian Huerta

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Juan Pablo Federico (UAR)