Paraguay claimed their first Copa América win since 2007 with a slender 1-0 win over a terrible Jamaica team. Edgar Benitez scored a freak goal in the first half to temporarily put Paraguay top of Group B.
Both sides started the game brightly, Jamaica looked promising from the get-go with Adrian Mariappa and Gareth McCleary linking well, causing problems down the right wing in the early minutes of the game. Paraguay had the first chance of the game when former Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz leaped high in the Jamaica penalty box to get on the end of a Derlis Gonzalez cross, but Duwayne Kerr comfortably caught the forward's weak header in the 4th minute.
The Reggae Boys looked lively, but maybe a bit too lively as both Rodolph Austin and Wes Morgan found themselves in the referee’s book in less than 15 minutes of the first-half. Santa Cruz came close again in the 19th minute when the Malaga striker found himself with acres of space inside the penalty box when Raul Bobadilla slipped the un-marked Paraguay captain through on goal, but the resulting close range effort was well caught by Kerr. The game started to open up more to Paraguay as Bruno Valdez dinked a ball to Bobadilla into the penalty box, who span and lashed a great half-volley towards goal, but his skilful effort flew just wide of the far post.
Jamaica were close to gifting Paraguay a goal in the 29th minute when Bobadilla’s clever run saw the Augsburg striker thump in a low cross into the area. Kerr reacted to the cross but the keeper could only punch it a few yards in front of him, however Morgan was there to punt the ball up field to avoid embarrassment for the Caribbean side.
Kerr was called into action again three minutes later when Gonzalez sent in a good cross to pick out the number 9, Santa Cruz, who unleashed a well-timed volley at goal, but Kerr caught the fierce shot with ease. Paraguay finally broke the deadlock in the 36th minute in the most comical of ways, when Kerr dashed out of his box to head away long ball however Edgar Benitez was in front of the keeper’s clearance, and the ball fell straight to the oblivious midfielder’s foot which looped over a shocker Kerr into the open net to give Paraguay the lead.
A minute into the second half and the ball was already in the back of the Jamaican net, however Santa Cruz’s header from close range was ruled off for offside in the early stages of the celebrations of the disallowed goal, giving Jamaica a slim lifeline in this group stage match. Victor Caceres almost brilliantly doubled Paraguay’s lead in the 50th minute when the Flamengo midfielder skipped over a sliding challenge and then skinned another Jamaican defender, before firing from 25 yards out, however Kerr pulled off a fine save to deny Caceres.
Paraguay’s grasp of the second half tightened as Miguel Samudio drifted in on goal, and after playing a good one-two with Santa Cruz, the left-back unleashed a powerful strike at goal but the ball bounced off the crossbar to keep the score at 1-0 in the 60th minute. Jamaica looked to have woken up with ten minutes to go, McCleary almost equalised for Jamaica in beautiful fashion when the Reading winger fired a shot from well over 30 yards that just narrowly trickled past the post.
Paraguay go top of Group B for now on four points, whilst Jamaica remain bottom of the group with zero points from a possible six.