Deportivo Táchira kept its momentum in Group B of the Final Phase on Tuesday, beating Academia Puerto Cabello 3-2 at Pueblo Nuevo. The win leaves the visitors with no mathematical chance of fighting for the title and pushes the Venezuelan side closer to the Torneo Clausura final.
Under Uruguayan coach Álvaro Recoba, Táchira moved to 12 points at the top of the group, six ahead of Caracas FC, with two rounds of the Liga FUTVE playoffs still to play.
A goal-filled opening
The match began at full pace. Uruguayan forward Valentín Adamo opened the scoring in the second minute, profiting from a poor clearance by defender Gian Franco Bortagaray, whose attempted clearance rebounded off Adamo and into the net.
Puerto Cabello responded quickly. Around the 12th minute, young midfielder Diego Osorio levelled with a fine solo finish. The score stood at 1-1 at the break.
Comeback and Táchira’s finish
The second half kept the end-to-end rhythm. In the 49th minute, Bortagaray made amends for his earlier error by putting Puerto Cabello ahead. Táchira struck back almost immediately, with Carlos Sosa equalising in the 57th minute to make it 2-2.
The decisive moment came in the 68th minute. Uruguayan striker Rodrigo Pollero, who had come on for Adamo, fired home a precise shot to give Táchira the 3-2 lead. It was his 17th goal of the season.
Táchira now pauses for the FIFA international window before travelling to face Monagas SC in the next round. Puerto Cabello were reduced to ten men when Jayson Martínez was sent off in the 80th minute.
Source: www.balonazos.com
