Paraguay net bizarre winner in Copa victory over Jamaica

Edgar Benitez’s bizarre first-half goal proved the difference between Paraguay and Jamaica, as Ramon Angel Diaz’s side boosted their quarter-final chances.

After an opening game draw against tournament favourites Argentina, Paraguay are now in good shape to reach the final eight following their narrow win over Jamaica - with their winner coming as a result of an almighty blunder by opposition goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr.

The Jamaican shot-stopper - who had played well until this point - came rushing off his line to make a clearing, but only succeeded in heading against the knee of Benitez with the ball looping over Kerr and across his own line. That proved to be the winner, moving Paraguay on to four points from two games.

24’ PARAGUAY CHANCE: That's the closest we have come to an opener! Benitez drove through the Jamaica defence before the ball spun up to Bobadilla. He hit it across goal on the volley, but his effort flashed just past the far post.

34’ WHAT AN EFFORT! Santa Cruz meets a cross flush on the full volley from the edge of the penalty area, but Kerr was in a good position and makes a decent save to prevent the goal.

36’ GOAL! Paraguay 1 Jamaica 0: What a bizarre goal! Kerr comes to the edge of his box to make a header, but heads the ball against the knee of Benitez - which bounces over the Jamaica keeper and over the line.

53’ KERR STOP: Good save from Kerr! Caceres tries his luck from distance but the Jamaica goalkeeper tracks it all the way and gets across to tip the ball round the post with a flying, diving save.

60’ OFF THE WOODWORK! That would have been one of the goals of the tournament so far. Samudio fired an effort towards goal after a really nice give and go, but his shot comes smashing off the crossbar. Wooft!

72’ PENALTY CLAIM: Was that a handball? Santa Cruz gets his head to a cross but Hector sticks out an arm to essentially save the effort on goal. That was a penalty and yet there was very little appeal. Weird.

79’ GOOD EFFORT: That's as close as Jamaica have come in this second half! McCleary takes aim from the best part of 25 yards and fizzes a powerful, low drive just past the far post. What an effort that was!

11 goals were scored over the two games played on Monday evening at the Copa America, so what happened to that excitement? This match between Paraguay and Jamaica was never likely to match up to that standard, but even still - this was an insipid and dire game for the neutral. Both sides were disappointing in the final third, with very few goalscoring opportunities created.

His attacking teammate Edgar Benitez might have scored the winner, but Bobadilla was the player who impressed most for Paraguay - although there weren’t many standout performances to choose from. The 2011 runners-up will need to improve if they are to make it into the latter stages of the tournament, but Bobadilla was the best of a bad bunch.

Paraguay - Silva 5, Aguilar 5, Da Silva 5, Valdez 6, Samudio 7, Caceres 6, Ortigoza 6, Santa Cruz 5, Gonzalez 5, Benitez 7, Bobadilla 7. Subs - Piris 5, Molinas 5, Valdez 6.

Jamaica - Kerr 4, Morgan 6, Hector 5, Lawrence 5, Mariappa 5, Austin 6, Watson 5, McAnuff 6, McCleary 6, Dawkins 5, Barnes 5. Subs - Laing 6, Mattocks 5, Brown 5.