Paraguay keeps winning

New Delhi : Paraguay tested its bench strength, resting players who were on yellow, but still emerged unscathed in the final group game against Turkey 3-1 yesterday.

The South American team registered its third consecutive victory and sealed the top spot.

Giovanni Bogado, Fernando Cardozo, Antonio Gaeleano scored for the winner. A super strike by Kerem Kesgin in injury time did little to heal Turkey scars.

The South Americans started off on a wrong note when last-match hero Anibal Vega missed a penalty in the second minute.

Turkey, buoyed by the stroke of luck, launched attacks with vigour and purpose. But Paraguay played a waiting game and was rewarded in the 41st and 43rd minutes.

Giovanni Bogado picked his spot on the top left corner and curled a free-kick past the bemused custodian Berke Ozer. Fernando Cardozo tapped in the second goal by scrambling the ball low to the other corner.

With no goals to show as reward for efforts in the first half, the heat was on Turkey in the second session.

But Paraguay put the game to bed in the 61st minute when Gaeleano’s left-footed shot deflected off a defender and looped into the net. Turkey saw the back of the net finally in injury time when Kasgin fired in a right-footer into the goal. 

Turkey suffered its second defeat and slid to fourth place.