Venezuela Primera Division Wrap: Anzoategui start with a victory

Deportivo Anzoategui have begun the Venezuela Primera Division Clausura season with a 1-0 win away to Deportivo Petare.

Anzoategui topped the 2012-13 standings in Venezuela but were disappointed to finish fourth in the Apertura season of the 2013-14 campaign.

Juvencio Betancourt’s made an early statement about their intentions in the Clausura season on Wednesday with Rolando Escobar scoring the only goal as they knocked off Petare in Caracas.

The win took Anzoategui to sixth on the Primera Division table, three goals behind Deportivo Lara and Tucanes, who started their respective games with big wins.

Lara were spurred on by a superb hat-trick by midfielder Edgar Perez Greco as they cruised to a 4-0 win over Atletico El Vigia.

Perez Greco struck in the seventh minute, 19th and 22nd as he got Lara off to a dynamic start that shell-shocked Atletico El Vigia.

Mauricio Parra rounded out the scoring for Lara on 56 minutes as the home side delighted their fans with an emphatic beginning to the campaign.

It was a similar story in Puerto Ayacucho as Tucanes thrashed Atletico Venezuela 4-0.

An early goal from Tucanes’ Arnaldo Aranda was the only strike of the first half before Juan Garcia doubled the advantage just after half-time.

Late goals to Jesus Gonzalez and Argenis Gomez sealed the win with Tucanes joining Lara as the league pacesetters.

Defending champions Mineros de Guayana had a winning start to the season with a 2-0 triumph over Zulia.

Ricardo Blanco found the net just before half-time with Oscar Cordero making the scoreline comfortable on 61 minutes.

In other results, Aragua enjoyed a 2-0 road trip win at Estudiantes de Merida, Deportivo Tachira shaded Deportivo La Guaira 1-0 away from home and there was a 1-1 draw between Yaracuyanos and Zamora.

Trujillanos drew 1-1 with Caracas and Carabobo snatched a 1-0 triumph over Llaneros de Guanare.