Paraguay Division Profesional Wrap: Melgarejo on a winner

Nacional Asuncion have maintained their 14-point lead at the top of Paraguay’s Division Profesional with a 1-0 win away to Libertad.

Marcos Melgarejo scored the only goal of the game for Nacional, while Guarani took advantage of Libertad’s defeat to move to second on the table with a 3-2 victory away to Olimpia.

In the weekend’s top-of-the-table clash, Libertad hosted Nacional hoping to cut down the visitors’ leading margin.

But Nacional claimed their sixth-successive victory when Melgarejo struck in the 70th minute, taking the 26-year-old midfielder to equal fifth on the goal-scorers’ standings this season, six behind teammate Julian Benitez, who leads the Division Profesional with 12 goals.

Guarani replaced Libertad in second position as they triumphed in a goal-fest at Olimpia’s Estadio Defensores del Chaco.

Juan Ferreyra equalised twice for Olimpia as goals flew in for both teams before Rodrigo Teixeira wrapped up victory for Guarani with a 77th-minute strike.

The win took Guarani to 23 points and plus seven goal difference, just ahead of Libertad (23 points, plus six) and Cerro Porteno (23, plus five), while Nacional (37, plus 18) are well ahead in the Paraguayan league standings.

Cerro Porteno defeated local rivals Cerro Porteno PF 3-1, while in other Division Profesional results, Rubio Nu triumphed 4-3 away to Deportivo Capiata, Sportivo Luqueno drew 0-0 with General Diaz and Deportivo Carapegua were held to a 1-1 draw by Sol de America.