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Los Cafeteros Pro are now in the play-off’s zone. The Colombian SLAR entrant were 29-18 winners over Os Cobras Brasil XV on Wednesday afternoon. The result moves Los Cafeteros Pro above the Olímpia Lions to currently occupy 4th position. The Paraguayans need to defeat Peñarol today or they will remain in 5th with two rounds remaining.
The Colombian side defeated the Brazilians by playing good rugby. They outscored Os Cobras by four tries to two and scored the four tries before Os Cobras scored their first. They did so by getting into the opposition 22 and coming away with tries.
Los Cafeteros Pro scored first half tries through Argentines Juan Bautista Mernes, Manuel Alfaro and Julián Hernández. It placed them in firm control with the Brazilians having to defend and find ways of competing in the contact area without giving away penalties. They did very well in this area to only be prenalized three times.
Despite being behind at half-time by a notable margin, it was Os Cobras who scored the game’s first points. Lucas Spago slotted a 10th mine penalty. The 3-0 lead lasted for two minutes and would be the only time of the match in which the Brazilians were in front.
Los Cafeteros Pro responded with back-to-back tries to Alfaro and Hernández. Spago missed a penalty in response before Argentine Bautista Santamarina slotted one to make it a 12-6 scoreline. The, with one minute remaining in the first half, Mernes crossed for try number three for Los Cafeteros Pro.
The second half opened similar to how the first ended; Los Cafeteros Pro scored a try. With it, they were on course for victory and went about playing with less attack and more interest in closing out the contest.
Os Cobras got two back with tries to center Joel dos Santos and fullback Santamarina. Eliseo Morales kicked a 67th minute penalty to keep the Colombian side comfortably ahead. Os Cobras were unable to score again. The closest they came was with a missed drop-goal ten minutes from full-time.
Los Cafeteros Pro now have three wins for the SLAR 2022 season. That is three more than in SLAR 2021. Os Cobras remain winless. Their remaining matches are against the Olímpia Lions and Los Jaguares XV.
SCORING
COBRAS 18
Try – J dos Santos (50′), B Santamarina (55′)
Con – B Santamarina 1/2
Pen – L Spago 1/2 (10′), B Santamarina 1/1 (35′)
Drop – B Santamarina 0/1
CAFETEROS PRO 29
Try – M Alfaro (12′), Hernández (22′), JB Mernes (39′), JB Wenger (47′)
Con – J Hernández 2/3 (23′, 39′), E Morales 1/1 (48′)
Pen – E Morales (67′)
TEAMS
COBRAS
1 Brendon Alves, 2 Leonardo Souza, 3 Henrique Ribeiro, 4 Gabriel Paganini, 5 Kauã de Oliveira, 6 Cléber Días, 7 Devon Muller, 8 André Arruda, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Daniel Sancery (capt.), 12 Joel dos Santos, 13 Simon Bienvenu, 14 Robert Tenorio, 15 Bautista Santamarina
Replacements: 16 David Muller, 17 Lucas Abud, 18 Emanuel Molina, 19 Adrio Luiz, 20 Matheus Cláudio, 21 Rafael Spago, 22 Lucas Tranquez, 23 Daniel Lima
CAFETEROS PRO
1 Javier Corvolán, 2 Boris Wenger, 3 Carlos Ángulo Reyes, 4 Eliseo Fourcade, 5 Federico Lavanini, 6 Felipe Puertas, 7 Diver Ceballos, 8 Juan Bautista Mernes, 9 Eliseo Morales, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Andrés Álvarez, 12 Manuel Alfaro, 13 Leonardo Gea, 14 Alain Altahona, 15 Franco Giudice (capt.)
Replacements: 16 Tomás Bartolini, 17 Diego Posada, 18 Lucas Fernández, 19 Joaquín Sánchez, 20 José Ignacio Galvez, 21, Marcos Amorisa, 22 Juan Agudelo, 23 Valentín Fernández
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)
Assistant Referees: Juan Manuel Leon; Matías Esteban (Uruguay)
TMO: Frank Méndez (Chile)
