Tim Payne revels in 'very special' first Superclásico with Olimpia win

Olimpia secured a crucial victory in the Superclásico against Cerro Porteño, with midfielder Tim Payne sharing his exhilaration after his debut in the intense Paraguayan football rivalry. The New Zealand international described the atmosphere as "very special," emphasizing the overwhelming noise and passion from the fans.

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Yes, it's quite difficult to describe the emotions right now. Obviously, performance doesn't matter much in these games and it's all about the result, and today we got the result. I mean, look at the noise, the people here, it's very special.

"It's quite difficult to describe the emotions right now," Payne told Tigo Sports after the match. "Obviously, performance doesn't matter much in these games, it's all about the result, and today we got the result." He acknowledged that while performance is always important, securing the three points was the primary objective.

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In the end we won and that's the main thing. Obviously, playing a classic is sometimes more difficult or they are a bit different games, because they mean a little more. So, for us, obviously performance is always important, but today we got the three points and that's all that matters.

Reflecting on his professional career, Payne suggested this match might be a memorable highlight, though he is still processing the experience. "It's something I'll probably look back on very fondly," he said. Payne also discussed his role in set pieces and delivering crosses, expressing a slight disappointment at not contributing an assist but vowing to continue giving his best for the team.

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Yes, I think it will probably be difficult to say right now. It's something I will probably look back on very fondly. Right now, obviously I'm trying to process all those emotions and just take it all in, because it's incredible.

The midfielder concluded by expressing deep gratitude to the Olimpia supporters. "We are very grateful for everything. It hasn't been a great start to the season for us because we want to win every game, but we really appreciate them coming for 90, 95 minutes, and singing their hearts out every week," he stated. Payne credited the fans' constant support for the team's ability to perform and achieve the vital win.

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Yes, of course, that's a part of my game that I've worked on for a long time. It's disappointing not to have been able to contribute to the goals with an assist or something like that today, but if I can keep influencing the team and maybe the goals come from somewhere else, yes, I'll just keep trying to do my best.