The whole show took place in Barrio Obero during a thrilling meeting between Cerro Porteño and Libertad, which ended with a well-deserved draw of 2-2. This meeting testified to the competitive spirit of the two teams, with opportunities that could have leaned on one side as on the other.
Cerro Porteño found himself in a crucial position at the end of the match when a penalty was granted to them. However, Cecilio Domínguez’s shooting was brilliantly saved by the Libertad goalkeeper, Rodrigo Morínigo, now equal score.
The second half of the match has shown some of the best football moments seen so far during the Apertura tournament. In the first period, Roberto Fernández was the Savior of Cerro, making two decisive stops. But at the start of the second half, he could not prevent the veteran Roque Santa Cruz, who was launched by Ruben Lezcano after Alvaro Campuzano took advantage of a defensive error by Alan Soñora. Santa Cruz, in great shape, struck the ball with precision to give the advantage to his team at 1-0, thus silence in the stadium of the Nueva Olla.
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However, the roar of fans quickly resonated again when Jonathan Torres equalized for Cerro a few minutes later, scoring a powerful whim to bring the scoring to 1-1.
Libertad responded quickly, Lorenzo Melgarejo taking advantage of a perfectly dosed pass by Hernesto Caballero, being head-to-face with Fernández, and restoring the advantage of visitors with an unstoppable shot.
As the match progressed, Cerro intensified its quest for a new equalizer, obtaining it thanks to Juan Manuel Iturbe, superbly served by Gastón Giménez after a clever hook of “chico” da Costa. Iturbe’s calm finish brought the scoring to 2-2, promising last minutes.
The last moments were far from trivial. Cerro was reduced to ten players when Gustavo Velázquez received a red card for a fault in the position of last resort on Melgarejo, but they continued to fight for a victory.
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In a breathtaking moment, in the last seconds, Alan Benítez hit the crossbar on a corner, causing the exuberance of Cerro supporters while the assistant referee reported a goal. However, a Var examination canceled this decision, leaving the score unchanged.
However, Cerro had not yet finished. Following a series of chaotic rebounds causing a hand, the referee gave a penalty. With the time that flowed and his team reduced to ten, Domínguez approached to draw this crucial penalty. Once again, Morínigo was up to the task, saving the shot with composure.
The match ended with a score of 2-2, leaving the two teams with a feeling of frustration, in particular Cerro, who had the last chance to claim victory in an opening of a tournament rich in actions.
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