This match was all about exploiting connections.
Paraguay’s back line is anchored by Tigres defender Juan Caceres, Toluca’s Paolo Da Silva, and UNAM’s Dario Veron who all play in the Mexican league and they had seen plenty of Omar Bravo, Boffo Bautista, Juan Cacho, and Andres Guardado.
But I don’t think the Paraguayan defense had seen anyone like Nery Castillo. His great first touch sets up goals and reminds one of Bergkamp. He did it again. Two goals for Mexico and a hand in the Torrado goal. Some question his temperament but he seems to have matured. To be fair, Paraguay’s defense was caught out of position on all the goals and the Mexican attack was made to look good.
Against Chile, Hugo Sanchez rested Castillo and the difference was plain. The attack looked flat with Boffo Bautista trying to be a bit too cute with his deflections with only Castro picking up the pace with his initiative.
Robinho has been magnificent in Brazil’s sudden live wire performances but this surely will be known as Castillo’s Copa. All the big clubs will be pursuing this man. (Torrado’s goal and Castillo’s exclamation point).
3 comments on “Video: Copa America: Nery! Nery! Nery!”
You must have missed the first 3 minutes of the game… A defensive error by Paraguay led to an awful back pass that Castillo gleefully scooped up run at the goalie. The goalie came out to kick it, but at the last second Castillo touched it out of the goalie’s range, who wiped out Castillo. A clever move by Castillo that led to a PK, but the Ref must have had a bad night, because he gave the Paraguay goalie a red card in the 2nd minute of the game. So Paraguay must play a 88 minutes with 10 men and a goal down with their 3rd goalie (1st was injured, 2nd got red carded). It was an undeserved red-card that completely changed the course of the game. Btw, Castillo has not changed, he’s shown himself to be a gamebreaker, but is incredibly “me” focused and might struggle to successfully integrate himself in a powerhouse team where he couldn’t be the tip of the spear.
Mbyte84
I agree, the Paraguayans did not deserve to lose like that. That was not really as severe a tackle for Bobadilla to get red carded. And I see your point about Castillo being the self centered player that might struggle to adapt to a bigger club where he is a lesser light. A problem that he had at Olympiakos with Rivaldo also. He came into his own when Rivaldo played less minutes.
Everytime Mexico wins, people have problems!!! There was nothing undeserved about the red card the goalkeeper got! When the first man offending is in front of the last man defending and gets fouled, it’s an automatic red card! I don’t remember if Nery had anything to do with Torrado’s goal. I remember Juan Carlos Cacho giving him the pass, just as he did minutes later for Nery’s second. And sInce Americans are so fond of their ABC’s, this was Mexico’s B+ team getting into the semi’s with a 6-0 win!!!
Ten men or not Mexico was far superior to Paraguay setting up what promises to be a great semifinal against the Argentinians!