Venezuelan Primera Division Review: Tachira thrash Tucanes

A first-half onslaught sent Deportivo Tachira to a 4-0 thrashing of early title rivals Tucanes in the Venezuelan Primera Division.

Golden boot leader Gelmin Rivas (five goals) opened the scoring in the 19th minute, before three goals in the final 18 minutes of the half put the visitors to the sword in San Cristobal.

Wilker Angel doubled Deportivo’s lead on the half-hour mark, before Rivas’ second two minutes later made it 3-0.

A Cesar Gonzalez penalty in the third additional minute of the first stanza capped the scoring, and a dominant period from Daniel Farias’ men.

The loss was Tucanes’ first of the season, and saw them fall five points behind leaders Deportivo (16 points).

Tucanes sit in third spot, after Deportivo La Guaira’s third straight win took them second on 13 points.

Deportivo La Guaira came from behind to win 2-1 on the road at Mineros de Guayana, Adalberto Penaranda and Imanol Iriberri scoring second-half goals for the visitors.

A Gustavo Rojas brace helped Aragua to their first win of the campaign, as they downed Zamora 2-1 at home.

Trujillanos earned their second win, and still have two games in hand, with a 3-0 thrashing of Estudiantes de Merida.

James Cabezas struck in either half, before Sergio Alvarez completed the scoring in the 90th minute.

Carabobo climbed to fourth in the standings, seven points behind the leaders, after a 2-1 win away at Llaneros de Guanare.

Llaneros’ loss, and Aragua’s breakthrough win, left the former bottom of the table with just three points from six.

Metropolitanos equalised in the 90th minute of their hosting of Deportivo Lara to earn a 1-1 draw, and preserve both sides’ winless campaigns.

Portuguesa have not won since the season’s opening matchday, and were held 0-0 at home to Deportivo Anzoategui while Atletico Venezuela played out a second consecutive draw as their hosting of Deportivo Petare ended scoreless.