Arsenal Wallop Motagua in Their Opening Match.

By: Mauro | August 20th, 2008

In last night’s second match, defending champions Arsenal de Sarandi hosted Honduran side CD Motagua at the Estadio El Viaducto in Sarandi. Arsenal has been on a irregular run of positive and negative matches. Motagua are just trying to see how far they can get in this, their first Sudamericana competition.

While Arsenal controlled the ball for much of the first half, Motagua was much more interested in defending, which they did very well, but with 10 men behind the ball, leaving Uruguayan forward, Oscar Torlacoff as the sole striker up front. 10 minutes in, Arsenal knocked on Motagua’s door. Midfielder Sebastián Carrera had a chance coming into the area with the ball at his feet, and had a weak shot easily collected by Motagua keeper, Ricardo Canales.

Motagua did managed to surprise them at very least on one occasion. In the 24th minute of the first half came defender David Molina was able to get a cross off to Torlacoff who headed the ball over the left corner of the goal.

Just when it seemed that Arsenal was not going to score, Alejandro Gómez bolted into the area and dove after defender Emilson Cruz tried dispossessing him of the ball for an undeserved penalty kick. Luciano Leguizamón took the kick and exchanged it for a goal. “1-0 to the Arsenal.”

The beginning of the second half began with Motagua controlling the ball but that didn’t last very long. Arsenal continued their dominance of the ball. Still, it took them 27 minutes into the second half to find the second goal. Off a free kick, taken by who else but Leguizamón, and buried it into the upper right angle of the goal. 2-0 to Arsenal.

The match opened up with the second goal, Motagua fighting for possession and the precious away goal but it was not to be. in the 31st minute of the second half, Mosquera collected the ball after a rebound in the area in the goalmouth and was able to loft it past keeper Canales after it fortunately caromed off another player. 3-0 to Arsenal.

Minute 35 of the second half, had another Arsenal goal come through. Carrera crosses the ball into the area where the ball met Facuno Sava’s head after a nice leap. 4-0 to Arsenal. Game. Set. And Match.

I had this one going 1-0 to Arsenal. I was a bit off with the goal count but I did guess the win. Not bad and getting better.

The return leg will be played in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on September 4th in the first Copa Sudamericana match to be played in Honduras.

Feel free to check the CONMEBOL website for results and information about upcoming matches and for those of you in need of a bracket to get your heads around the competition, get one here.