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The 2022 South American Tri Nations got underway on Saturday evening in Barranquilla. Paraguay ensured the tournament started with a bang as Los Yakares upset Colombia 21-13.
Paraguay’s strong performance was a team-effort; the players worked together and were able to control a lot more of their game than were the Colombians. The Paraguayan scrum was also an impressive area of their play. Colombia were repeatedly showed backwards.
Paraguayan captain Sebastián Urbieta had a good game. He kicked goals and directed play well. His opposite, Jhojan Ortíz was at times erratic. Usually a center, Ortíz was outmatched by Urbieta as an organizer and his distribution was also second best.
Urbieta’s first kick at goal was wide. It was a conversion attempt from the game’s first try. Paraguayan winger Elías Sotelo made an excellent break down the right and cut inside to beat the covering defenders. Ortíz responded for Colombia. His penalty kick would be Colombia’s only score of the opening half.
Paraguay’s second try came against the flow. Ortíz attempted a kick only to be charged down. He tried to run back but both Ignacio Martínez and Enzo Sander were ahead of him and got to the ball first. Martínez touched down beside the posts to hand Urbieta a simple conversion.
The half concluded with Urbieta lining-up a penalty from inside his own half. The well-struck kick sailed over as Los Yacares went in to half-time with a convincing 15-3 lead.
Paraguay wanted more of the same in the second half. Colombia needed a much improved second half. What transpired was improvement from Colombia but not enough to overcome the deficit.
Following a disallowed try to Sotelo, Urbieta and Ortíz traded penalties. Paraguay were 18-3 ahead and looking very comfortable. Colombia cut the lead as Juan González juggled a high ball. Cristian Rodellegas gathered and made a half-break before passing to Jhon Arley Urrutia. The speedster had the gad to run 60 meters for the try.
Colombia had a simple opportunity at three more points. Ortíz missed the penalty from in front. Paraguay were fortunate and they were shortly thereafter hot on attack. Ortíz had a kick charged down from which Paraguay put phases together and were back in the opposition 22. Urbieta made not mistake with a penalty attempt of his own ten minutes later.
A juggled pass saw Paraguay adding to their lead. Rafael Bareiro passed sharply to his left to Arturo López. The fullback ran 55 meters to score. The TMO cancelled the try after images showed Enzo Sander had been accidentally offside. The referee blew for the final whistle with Paraguay having upset Colombia.
Paraguay play again on Wednesday. Los Yacares take-on Brazil in the second round match of the South American Tri Nations. Colombia will play again on Sunday. Los Tucanes will close out the South American Tri Nations against Brazil.
SCORING
COLOMBIA 13
Try – JA Urrutia
Con – J Ortíz
Pen – J Ortíz (2)
PARAGUAY 21
Try – E Sotelo, E Martínez
Con – S Urbieta
Pen – S Urbieta (3)
TEAMS
COLOMBIA
1 Carlos Angulo, 2 Pablo Llanes, 3 Aldair Marquez, 4 Jhon Álvarez, 5 Santiago Mejía, 6 Luis Giraldo, 7 Diver Ceballos, 8 Juan Pacheco, 9 Julián Navarro, 10 Jhojan Ortíz (capt.), 11 Neider García, 12 Cristian Rodellegas, 13 Juan Agudelo, 14 Alain Altahona, 15 Jhon Arley Urrutia
Replacements: 16 Jorge Álvaez, 17 Diego Posada, 18 Brayhan Pérez, 19 Yoimar Mosquera, 20 Nicolás Cadavid, 21 Bryan Guzmán, 22 Alejandro Vanegas, 23 Alvaro Gamarra
PARAGUAY
1 Daniel Cabral, 2 Emilio Gorostiaga, 3 Enrique Quinteros, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Carlos Plate, 7 Ariel Núñez, 8 Marcos Riquelme, 9 Diego Miño, 10 Sebastián Urbieta (capt.), 11 Juan González, 12 Enzo Sander, 13 Daniel Chilavert, 14 Elías Sotelo, 15 Arturo López
Replacements: 16 Lucas Otaño, 17 Camilo Blasco, 18 Estéfano Aranda, 19 Álvaro Báez, 20 Mateo Rodríguez, 21 Rafael Bareiro, 22 Héctor Gayoso, 23 Gianfranco Parodi
