An interesting opening match up to Week 3 as two winless sides face off in very different positions. Sportivo Ameliano are undefeated having drawn both games against traditional big teams Cerro Porteño and Guaraní. Resistencia meanwhile are yet to score and have 0 points having lost both games to General Caballero and Libertad.

Humberto Garcia’s team have scored first in both fixtures so far, but dropped the lead as the stronger home sides were able to get back into the game. Since the opener they have lost one of last year’s leading scorers in Alex Arce who has moved on to Argentina. However, they have found a new source of goals in Elvio Vera who netted first against Guaraní having also scored in the Super Cup against Olimpia. Defensively they have only kept one clean sheet in their last 11 league games and will be without defender Franco Ortellado who was sent off last match.

Resistencia brought in veteran coach Miguel Zahzú who achieved promotion with Sportivo Luqueño last year, but the Argentine has yet to bring a spark to the Asunción-based side. Diego Martínez has started both games, he only managed to get on the scoresheet 7 times in 36 games last year and there are precious few goals throughout the squad. New signing Nelson Da Silva missed a penalty against Libertad, he had managed 3 goals in his final six games with Olimpo in the Argentinian 2nd tier before making the move.

Last season Resistencia won the first three matches but it was Ameliano that grabbed the final victory of 2022 with a 3-2 victory in October. The V Azulada have been very strong in front of goal when playing at the Martín Torres, averaging 2.22 goals in their last nine matches there. They have only failed to score less than two in 1 of those 9 matches, a 1-2 reverse to Nacional. Against one of the worst defences in the division they are well priced to score over 1.5 goals.

Daniel Garnero’s side have begun the season with two wins without conceding as they seem to have ironed out last year’s defensive wrinkles. Sportivo Luqueño are yet to win on their return to Primera División but Marcelo Pérez has scored in both matches providing hope to Gustavo Florentín’s team.

Libertad have been slow to start in games, scoring just once in the first half in their last nine league matches. But the Lorenzo Melgarejo brace in the previous match is an ominous sign, the left-sided forward notched up 18 goals in 2022 with only Fernando Fernández managing more. Defensively they will have one important absentee in Alexander Barboza who was sent off and is suspended for this one.

Sportivo Luqueño have scored in both games but haven’t looked good at the back with errors across both games leading to an own goal and a penalty kick. Their homegrown talent Marcelo Pérez is the only scorer so far but there is hope for imported talent Paul Charpentier who has played well in both games despite not breaking his duck. With such a young side, Florentín has managed to bring in some experience and leadership with midfielder Rodrigo Rojas who was most recently the captain of Sol de América but has won titles with both Cerro Porteño and Libertad.

The three matches that Libertad played at home versus Luqueño in 2021 all ended in comfortable victories for the Gumarelo, and it is hard to look past another win here. The better value is on the goals market, with Libertad missing a key central defender and Luqueño regularly finding the net so far the Overs are a good price.