Paraguay Division Profesional Wrap: Asuncion roll on, Libertad win

Julian Benitez has scored twice as Nacional Asuncion thumped Cerro Porteno PF 4-1 to claim their fifth-consecutive victory.

Benitez struck in the 36th and 59th minutes, while Marcos Melgarejo and Cesar Caceres Canete scored Nacional’s other goals as the capital club maintained their 11-point gap on second-placed Libertad in Paraguay’s Division Profesional.

Nacional had scored an average of 2.75 goals per game in their past four wins but had to wait until after the half-hour to break down Cerro Porteno PF’s defence for the first time on Saturday.

Benitez, the leading goal-scorer in Paraguay’s top division, gave the hosts the lead and three minutes later Melgarejo smashed the ball home from long range with his shot deflecting into the net off the crossbar.

But Cerro Porteno PF struck back two minutes before the break through a goal from Leonardo Delvalle.

The visitors’ chances of a comeback were ended in the space of two second-half minutes with Benitez notching his second goal of the game, and 12th of the season, before Caceres Canete took control of a fumble by Cerro Porteno PF goalkeeper Francisco Olmedo to score on the hour mark.

The win took Nacional to 34 points after 13 rounds, while Libertad defeated Rubio Nu 2-1 on Sunday to sit on 23 in second position.

Guarani held onto third spot with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo Capiata, while Cerro Porteno are just behind on goal difference after a 3-0 victory over Deportivo Carapegua.

In other results in Paraguay’s top tier of football, Olimpia won 1-0 away to General Diaz and Sol de America were held to a 2-2 draw at home by bottom club Sportivo Luqueno.