Argentina snatches bronze in Vargas after a penalty kick shootout against Ecuador
An outstanding performance had Brazil clinching the gold medal in the III Juegos Suramericanos de Playa, held in Vargas (Venezuela). The verdeamarela run past Paraguay in the final, confronting exactly the two same teams than the 2011 edition, mainly thanks a perfect control of the situation, and a devastating opening. A 3-0 run by mid second period was too much to cope with for the Paraguayans, who saw how any attempt to climb back in the score was heavily contested by Junior Negão’s lads. Bruno Xavier, with three goals and Datinha, with two more that make him top scorer of the tournament, were the main protagonists in the Brazilian ranks.
Minutes went by and Paraguay could not find the way to cause harm on the Brazilian resistance, and, instead, goals kept falling on Ayala’s end. With the final 9-3, Brazil confirmed a new win and a new gold medal: the third in as many editions of the Juegos Suramericanos de Playa.
In the game for the bronze, though, the same three-goal opening did not mean a quiet and calmed walk to the victory for Argentina. Mighty Ecuadorians did not let the 3-0 overwhelm them and bounced back to the 3-3. A stroke exchange began then, with one team quickly equalizing the little advantage managed by their opponent. Sometimes it was Argentina, others it was Ecuador, but the result was the same. That lead to a breathtaking last minutes, to which the Albiceleste came one goal down. The Argentinean hero today, Sebastian Larreta, bagged his fourth goal to get his side onto extra time. The three minutes were not enough to discern whose necks were the bronze medal’s going to hang from, and only the penalty kick shootout could pass sentence.
Hosts Venezuela suffered a new upset in the game for the 5th place, in which Noriega’s 3-4 meant the win for Colombia, as Peru bent Uruguay in the match for the seventh place.
III JUEGOS SURAMERICANOS DE PLAYA – VARGAS 2014
Final standings:
Gold – Brazil
Silver – Paraguay
Bronze – Argentina
4th place – Ecuador
5th place – Colombia
6th place – Venezuela
7th place – Peru
8th place – Uruguya
