Chile’s Ignacio Contardo and Mathias Drummer each have two goals to help Chile to victory over host Peru. Uruguay’s Captain Diego Laborde also has two goals win over Paraguay. And Venezuela’s Cristian Vargas’ six goals and four goals by Captain Andy Adrian helped Venezuela to a 16 goal victory over Ecuador.
All matches are being live-streamed; and a reminder that each match is being played in two 35 minute halves and cannot end in a tie. Please continue to also check the Pan American Hockey Federation’s website for the Men’s competition for photos and post-match interviews and more:
http://www.panamhockey.org/en/competitions-53-2016-south-american-championships-men-
Ecuador-Venezuela (0-16)
The opening minutes of the match between Ecuador and Venezuela were almost entirely in Venezuela’s attacking circle. Captain Andy Adrian kept looking to attack with forward teammates Wilber Bracamonte and Cristian Vargas. Ecuador’s Wilson Torres and Jimmy Cedeño helped their team to play strong defense preventing Venezuela from scoring until the 8th minute despite constant pressure. Vargas gave Venezuela the lead in the 8th minute; and then one minute later Javier Ramos increased his team’s lead to two goals. In the 10th minute, Venezuela earned the first penalty corner of the match, but could not complete the play to get a shot off. Venezuela quickly earned another penalty corner and Adrian put in the hard low shot to make the score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 3. Venezuela’s fourth goal came in the 15th minute as Wilmer Vargas found Adrian waiting on the far post who deflected the ball into net. A minute later, Venezuela had increased its lead to five goals over Ecuador with a third consecutive goal by Adrian.
A couple minutes later, however, it was Cristian Vargas that scored again off as Palacios had come far out of the goal. Venezuela’s Adan Laya made the score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 7 in the 25th minute. Venezuela kept up its intense attacking pressure and had a number of consecutive penalty corners. Ecuador’s keeper Lincoln Palacios came up with many big saves to keep Venezuela from increasing their lead, but in the 30th minute, Vargas scored again, this time off a penalty corner, to make the score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 8. Two minutes later, Adrian had scored his fourth goal of the match; and then Raudin Simanca scored in the 34th minute to make the halftime score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 10.
At the start of the second half, Venezuela immediately earned three penalty corners. Ecuador continued to play strong defense and prevent Venezuela from scoring off these corners. Around the 40th minute, Ecuador had some possession in their attacking half and forced Venezuela’s keeper Junior Benitez to come far out of goal for the first time in the match. Venezuela soon regained possession and ran back on to attack and forced a penalty corner. Cristian Vargas converted the penalty corner to make the score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 11 in the 44th minute. A minute later, Venezuela completed a nice passing sequence to find Wilmer Vargas on the post to push in the goal for the nine goal lead. In the 49th minute, Ecuador substituted Captain and keeper Lincoln Palacios with reserve keeper Bryan Ormaza. Ecuador continued to play strong defense and held Venezuela without another goal until the 53nd minute when Wilber Bracamonte pushed the ball between Ormaza’s legs. Fresh off the restart, Venezuela was back on attack and then Cristian Vargas had back-to-back goals the second of which was a beautiful high goal to the opposite post to make the score Ecuador 0, Venezuela 15. It was soon Ecuador 0, Venezuela 16 off a goal by Simanca, his second of the match, in the 56th minute.
Ecuador continued to fight and a save by Ormaza in the 60th minute led to a breakaway on attack by Yeremy Bombon. Venezuela quickly regained possession before Bombon was unable to get a shot off. Ecuador, however, held Venezuela without another scoring opportunity until the 67th minute when Venezuela was awarded a penalty corner. Ormaza made a stick save to deny Venezuela’s shot and Ecuador ran back into their attacking half. While Venezuela continued their attacking pressure, Ecuador was able to keep the score at Ecuador 0, Venezuela 16; holding Venezuela without another goal for 14 minutes.
Uruguay-Paraguay (5-0)
Less than one minute into the match, Uruguay’s Alexis Lopez scored to give his team the early lead over Paraguay. For the next few minutes, Paraguay’s Santiago Chamorro, Aram Monges and Elias Vera did a good job defensively to force play into the midfield. Uruguay earned the first penalty corner of the match in the 5th minute, but Paraguay played good team defense to break up Uruguay’s penalty corner play; and was again able to force play into the midfield for the next five minutes. In the 10th minute, Uruguay was awarded another penalty corner, but the shot went wide. Uruguay kept up their attacking pressure and earned three consecutive penalty corners; the third of which resulted in a penalty stroke that Captain Diego Laborde put in to make the score Uruguay 2, Paraguay 0.
And then Paraguay substituted keeper and Captain Hugo Lopez with reserve keeper Roberto Fleitas. Uruguay kept up their attacking pressure and successfully converted a penalty corner in the 22nd minute as Laborde scored again to put his team ahead by three goals. Uruguay then substituted their starting keeper Sebastian Cadenasso with reserve Rodrigo Castro. Paraguay did not let up and was able to hold possession in their attacking half for a number of minutes. Julio Russo and Sebastian Chamorro played hard on attack to keep forcing the ball into their attacking half. In the 30th minute Uruguay’s Gonzalo Martinoni was awarded a green card. Paraguay looked to capitalize rushing into their attacking circle, but could not get a shot off. Uruguay was awarded a penalty corner in the final minute of the first half, but Fleitas made a quick save to keep the score Uruguay 3, Paraguay 0 at halftime.
Paraguay almost scored in the first minute of the second half, but Uruguay regained possession. Alexis Lopez was awarded a green card in the 37th minute. One minute later Uruguay’s Luis Salmini and Paraguay’s Elias Vera were each awarded yellow cards. Paraguay. Uruguay earned their first penalty corner of the second half in the 41st minute. Alexis Lopez’s drag flick sailed into goal and Uruguay went ahead of Paraguay 4 to 0. Despite Uruguay continuing to dominate possession, Paraguay did not let up and had their best shot opportunity in the 48th minute, but the shot hit the post. Intensity continued to rise in the match and Paraguay’s Guillermo Benitez received a yellow card in the 49th minute. Impressively, Paraguay was able to earn their first penalty corner of the match while Benitez was still out with the card. Uruguay’s Cadenasso saved the shot by Julio Russo. Uruguay regained possession and rushed back on attack. Agustin Rivero found Gabriel Lopez to make the score Uruguay 5, Paraguay 0. Soon after, Paraguay was back on attack as Monges had a breakway. Cadenasso rushed far out of goal to stop Monges and Paraguay just missed scoring on an open net. Both teams continued to battle with intensity for possession. Paraguay’s Elias Vera received another yellow card. Maximiliano Tixe had a hard shot on goal, but Fleitas came up for the save. Paraguay played strong defense to hold off the Uruguay attack; and their persistence paid off with a penalty corner as time expired. With Russo’s penalty corner shot going wide, the final score remained Uruguay 5, Paraguay 0.
Chile-Peru (8-0)
After narrowly losing to Uruguay on Day 1, host Peru was still looking for its first win of the tournament. Chile was awarded the first penalty corner of the match two minutes into the match, but Peru’s Captain and keeper Felix Mafferetti made a glove save to keep the match scoreless. Chile’s Martin Rodriguez, Ignacio Contardo and Jan Berczely all keep trying to pressure on attack and look for a shot. Peru’s defense, especially Hugo Visosa and Ricardo Cruz, worked hard to keep Chile from getting shots off despite play in their attacking circle. Chile’s attacking pressure eventually led to another penalty corner in the 12th minute. With Chile unable to complete the penalty corner play, Peru regained possession. For about the next five minutes Peru was able to have more possession, including some possession in their attacking circle.
In the 20th minute, however, Chile earned another penalty corner that Juan Amoroso converted to give his team the lead. In the 22nd minute, Martin Rodriguez slammed a penalty corner shot from the top right of the circle, but Mafferetti made a great leg save. Three minutes later, Rodriguez found Mathias Drummer who tipped the ball into the center of the cage to make the score Chile 2, Peru 0. Chile continued to keep their attacking pressure and Chile’s Ricardo Achondo did a lot of dribbling in the circle to find Captain Sven Richter to give his team a three goal lead in the 30th minute. Cruz and Abel Romeo played strong defense in the final minutes of the first half to help keep Chile from scoring further before halftime.
The second half started like the first half with Chile earning a penalty corner in the opening minutes of the second half. Peru continued to play strong defense and hold off the Chilean attack and keep Chile from quickly increasing their lead. Peru’s Vincenzo De Martis then had one of Peru’s best attacking chances of the match on a break away, but Chile’s keeper Adrian Henriquez was there for the save. For the next ten minutes, Peru played very strong defense to force play into the midfield and keep Chile out of their attacking circle. In the 50th minute, however, Chile found Felipe Renz right in front of the net for the quick tip in to make the score Chile 4, Peru 0. In the 55th minute, Chile’s Ignacio Contardo gave Chile a five goal lead over Peru. Three minutes later, Drummer easily pushed the ball into goal after Mafferetti had come out to challenge the play.
Then Chile’s Diego Amoroso received a green card and Peru took advantage getting a quick shot on goal that was just outside the goal cage. Peru kept trying to pressure on attack, but after a couple minutes Chile regained possession and ran back on attack. Chile’s Jan Berczely blasted a shot into goal to make the score Chile 7, Peru 0. Two minutes later, Contardo scored again to make the score Chile 8, Peru 0. With Peru unable to gain momentum after the restart, Chile was quickly back on attack and earned a couple penalty corners. Chile was unable to convert the first penalty corner; and the second was saved by Mafferetti. With Peru unable to capitalize off a few more minutes near their attacking circle, the final score ended Chile 8, Peru 0
The Men’s Competition will continue on the 5th of October. Please continue to also check the Pan American Hockey Federation’s website for the Men’s competition for photos and post-match interviews and more: http://www.panamhockey.org/en/competitions-53-2016-south-american-championships-men-
