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Brazil and Paraguay played what was a classic on Wednesday evening. Brazil were 31-28 winners at the Estadio Romelio Martínez in Barranquilla, Colombia. The win came after Brazil had dominated the first half, leading 24-7 at half-time.
Brazil’s highly impressive start was in general play as well as on the score sheet. Two early tries from the forwards set the tone of the contest. Captain Gabriel Paganini finished off phase play to score the first while hooker Wilton Rebolo scored from an attacking lineout to maul.
In their only first half score, Paraguay hit-back with a try of their own. Argentine Arturo Lopez scored from fullback for Los Yacarés. It was a numbers game as Paraguay had an unmarked man to gt around the Brazilian defense.
Brazil’s third try followed. Again it was Rebolo who touched down in the try zone and again the hooker scored from a lineout to maul attack. From there another try came only for it to be disallowed. Flanker Cléber Días was ruled to have knocked-on by the TMO.
Try number four did nonetheless come in the first half. Douglas Rauth scored a scrum-half’s try, darting over from the back of a scrum for Brazil. It gave Brazil a 24-7 half-time lead.
The contest appeared to be over. Brazil’s impressive lead and vastly superior performance at the lineout, scrum and around the field had Os Tupis on course for not only a win but one by a large scoreline.
Paraguay’s put on a great second half fight back. Brazil was narrowly able to withstand Paraguay’s response. Players were exhausted in the heat and relieved to have held on for victory.
Olímpia Lions front-rower Emilio Gorostiaga touched down early in the second half. The hooker replicated Rebolo by scoring from an attacking maul. Similar to what Paraguay had done in the first half, Brazil hit-back to Paraguay’s early second-half try with a try of their own. Winger Daniel Lima scored following an offload from fullback Guilherme Coghetto.
Brazil were 31-14 ahead. The win had been secured, or had it? Paraguay made sure that the match would run the course of 80 minutes. Tries to center Enzo Sander and second-rower Mariano Garcete made it a three point contest. It could have down either way as both teams fought for the win.
The final white blew with Brazil winners by three points. Following on from Paraguay’s upset win over Colombia on Saturday, the result means that the South American Tri Nations is open. Brazil go in to their match against Colombia as favorites and ranked highest.
SCORING
BRAZIL 31
Try – W Rebolo (2), G Paganini, D Rauth, D Lima
Con – L Tranquez (3)
PARAGUAY 28
Try – A López, E Gorostiaga, E Sander, M Garcete
Con – S Urbieta (4)
TEAMS
BRAZIL
1 Leonel Moreno, 2 Wilton Rebolo, 3 Henrique Ferreira, 4 Gabriel Paganini (capt.), 5 Gabriel Oliveira, 6 Cléber Días, 7 Adrio de Melo, 8 André Arruda, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Daniel Lima, 12 Gabriel Zurka, 13 Robert Tenório, 14 Robson Morais, 15 Guilherme Coghetto
Replacements: 16 David Müller, 17 Brendon Alves, 18 Levy Marinho, 19 Felipe Rosa, 20 Arthur Bergo, 21 Rafael Spago, 22 Joel Santos, 23 Victor Silva
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 Elías Sotelo, 12 Enzo Sander, 13 Daniel Chilavert, 14 Facundo Paiva, 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 Diego Argaña
MATCH OFFICIAL
Referee: Juan Manuel León (Colombia)
