Paraguay comes from behind against Venezuela and will play for fifth place
They were down 1-0 but came back to win 2-1 with second-half goals.
- Claudia Martínez reached 6 goals.
- Venezuela had a player sent off just before halftime.
Paraguay staged a comeback in a great match against Venezuela and will play one more game in the CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina 2025™.
The first half was a Venezuelan monologue: they had over 10 shots on goal but struggled to score.
Finally, in the 40th minute, their top scorer Oriana Altuve picked up the ball inside the box and hit a beautiful turning shot into the far top corner to break the deadlock.
In added time, Paraguay had its first real chance with a free kick from Dahiana Bogarín. In the play that led to that foul, Venezuela was reduced to ten players after Dayana Rodríguez received a red card.
That sending-off changed the game: Paraguay took control in the second half, made some changes, and completed the comeback.
In the 63rd minute, Fátima Acosta smashed the ball past the Venezuelan keeper after Claudia Martínez couldn’t connect with a cutback. But the tournament’s top scorer would have her revenge.
With just seven minutes remaining, the 17-year-old took on the goalkeeper and finished at the near post with her right foot to seal the 2-1 win and her sixth goal of the competition.
Paraguay finished third in Group B and will face Chile for fifth place on Monday, July 28. Venezuela, meanwhile, ended its campaign in the CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina 2025™.
Lineups and match details
Paraguay (2): 12- Soledad Belotto; 2- Camila Barbosa, 5- Dahiana Bogarín, 4- Deysi Ojeda, 7- Ramona Martínez; 15- Danna Garcete, 8- Celeste Aguilera, 3- Daysy Bareiro, 21- Cindy Ramos; 18- Claudia Martínez, 9- Lice Chamorro (C).
Substitutes used: 14- Naomí de León, 6- Fanny Godoy, 10- Jéssica Martínez, 11- Fátima Acosta, 16- Fiorela Martínez.
Cards: Daysy Bareiro (Y).
Coach: Fabio Fukumoto.
Venezuela (1): 13- Nay Cáceres (C); 6- Michelle Romero, 2- Verónica Herrera, 5- Yenifer Giménez, 14- Raiderlin Carrasco; 20- Dayana Rodríguez, 7- Daniuska Rodríguez, 8- Gaby García, 21- Bárbara Olivieri; 9- Deyna Castellanos, 11- Oriana Altuve.
Substitutes used: 16- Floriangel Apóstol, 19- Mariana Speckmaier, 10- Joemar Guarecuco, 15- Yerliane Moreno, 23- Melanie Chirinos.
Cards: Raiderlin Carrasco (Y), Dayana Rodríguez (R), Bárbara Olivieri (Y), Floriangel Apóstol (Y).
Coach: Ricardo Belli.
Goals:
1H: 40’ Oriana Altuve (VEN). Halftime: Paraguay 0-1 Venezuela.
2H: 63’ Fátima Acosta, 83’ Claudia Martínez (PAR). Final score: Paraguay 2-1 Venezuela.
Referee: Anahi Fernández (URU)
Stadium: Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda, Quito (Ecuador)
Betano MVP: Claudia Martínez (PAR)
