The Guaraní side bent Venezuela in the extra time of the final of the I Juegos Bolivarianos de Playa, held in Lima
Paraguay clinched the gold medal in the first edition of the Juegos Bolivarianos de Playa, held this last week in Lima (Perú). A tight win over Venezuela in the last minute of the extra time (6-5) got the Paraguayan side prevail over Venezuela, who had lead the score most of the time, even stepping ahead once again in the supplementary three minutes after the regular time was blown over with 4-4.
Having clinched one of the tickets to Ravenna in the last CONMEBOL Qualifier made the ?Vinotinto? the favourites for the final, but that did not helped them a bit. Once the referee blew his whistle, they clearly saw that the Guraní would not be an easy evening? Paraguay had got to the Parque Temático Miraflores of Costa Verde with a really prestigious last victim: no less than Brazil, who they had brought down in the penalty kick shootout of a friendly game just days before flying to Perú, what made them a really fearful opponent. A 2-0 run in the first stage of the game confirmed they were in a really sweet mood.
Venezuela managed to react and to get ahead in the score (3-4), but a last stroke by Villalba?s side sent the game into extra time, where they would finally seize the gold.
In the game for the third place, hosts Peru managed a brilliant win over last FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup biggest surprise, El Salvador, to at least have one of the medals stay within their boundaries. The brilliant outcome by local hero Ángelo Castro, bagging four goals, made the difference for the ?Bicolor?, who finally got themselves onto the podium.
