Selknam Snatch Victory from impressive Cafeteros Pro

Selknam landed a final minute penalty to snatch victory from Los Cafeteros Pro in Ciudad del Este. The Colombian SLAR franchise put on an impressive performance; in fact, they were very close to winning the match.

Minutes before fullback Francisco Urroz landed the penalty to put Selknam ahead 20-19 in the 80th minute, Los Cafeteros Pro had kicked a penalty of their own. The thrilling finish had a final twist with Julián Hernández having a long and wide shot at goal with time expired.

Hernández’ miss meant that Selknam escaped with two competition points to, for the time being, go top of the SLAR 2022 standings. Los Cafeteros Pro claimed a losing bonus point.

Colombian flanker Diver Ceballos scored the opening try. It was a well-worked score with multi players exchanging passes. Hernández missed the conversion but landed a penalty eight minutes later. He also missed his other conversion. It was from a similar position. It followed a sensational score from Eliseo Morales. The scrum-half broke clear from an attacking lineout, kicked, gathered and touched down in the try zone.

Selknam’s only points in the first half were the opening points of the contest; Francisco Urroz landed a 12th minute penalty. What they lacked in the first half they more than made up for in the third quarter. Selknam  scored in the 44th minute. through scrum-half Lukas Carvallo.

The Chilean SLAR side also scored in the 61st minute. An advancing maul score made put Selknam in top before the kickers exchanged attempts late in the game.

Urroz had Selknam in the lead before Hernández put Los Cafeteros Pro ahead with three minutes later. The Colombian side then tried to wind down the clock only to be penalized for sealing off the ball. Selknam were ahead again with second left. Hernández’ kick-off was accurate and a penalty resulted. It was not to be for Los Cafeteros Pro as Selknam held on for a nervous win.

 

SCORING

CAFETEROS PRO 19
Try – D Ceballos (14′), E Morales (38′)
Con – J Hernández 0/2
Pen – J Hernández 2/3 (24′, 77′), F Giudice 1/1 (42′)
YC – J Sánchez (48′)

SELKNAM 20
Try – L Carvallo (44′), F Pechia (61′)
Con – F Urroz 2/2 (46′, 63′)
Pen – F Urroz 2/2 (12′, 80′)

 

TEAMS

CAFETEROS PRO
1 Javier Corvalán, 2 Álvaro Llaver, 3 Brian González, 4 Eliseo Fourcade, 5 Federico Lavanini, 6 Joaquín Sánchez, 7 Diver Ceballos, 8 Felipe Puertas, 9 Eliseo Morales, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Andrés Álvarez, 12 Manuel Alfaro, 13 Leonardo Gea, 14 Alain Altahona, 15 Franco Giudice (capt.)

Replacements: 16 Boris Wenger, 17 Diego Posada, 18 Tomás Bertot, 19 Gregório Hernández, 20 José Ignacio Galvez, 21 Marcos Amorisa, 22 Valentín Fernández, 23 Juan David Agudelo

SELKNAM
1 Salvador Lues, 2 Franco Pechia, 3 Vittorio Lastra, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Franco Molina, 6 Santiago Edwards, 7 Ignacio Silva (capt.), 8 Joaquín Milesi, 9 Lukas Carvallo, 10 Diego Warnken, 11 Julio Blanc, 12 Juan Zuccarino, 13 Luca Strabucchi, 14 Gaspar Moltedo,  15 Francisco Urroz

Replacements: 16 Jorge Delgado, 17 Sebastián Otero, 18 Esteban Inostroza, 19 Vicente Fernández, 20 Ernesto Tchimino, 21 Benjamín Videla, 22 Clemente Armstrong, 23 Cristobal Game

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Cauã Ricardo (Brazil)
Assistant Referees: Damien Schneider (Argentina); Andrés Bogado (Paraguay)
TMO: Alejandro Longres (Uruguay)