Trinidense coach praises team's character after comeback win over Cerro Porteño

Sportivo Trinidense began their Clausura tournament campaign with a significant 2-1 away victory over Cerro Porteño at the Estadio La Nueva Olla, a result coach José Arrúa described as a hard-fought win against a team with considerable hierarchy. The comeback victory demonstrated the team's resilience and character, particularly after conceding an early goal.

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It's not easy to come here and turn the game around against Cerro on their field. We know their quality, but I believe Trinidense stood its ground today and did what it had to do on the field.

"It's not easy to come here and turn the game around against Cerro on their field. We know their quality, but I believe Trinidense stood its ground today and did what it had to do on the field," Arrúa stated in a post-match press conference. He acknowledged that conceding so early could have derailed the team, but highlighted their capacity to react and maintain their game plan.

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Receiving a goal so early is not easy because it often disrupts everything, but the team never lost its order. The players understood the work plan, trusted, and believed. That was fundamental.

Arrúa revealed that halftime adjustments focused on improving defensive pressure and encouraging more assertive play with the ball. "In the break, we corrected the pressure a bit and tried to improve our transitions. We also asked them to be more daring in their play. In the second half, Trinidense showed what it knows how to play," he explained. Offensive substitutions, including Luis Abreu, Néstor Camacho, and Junior, were made to maintain attacking pressure rather than settling for a draw.

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In the break, we corrected the pressure a bit and tried to improve our transitions. We also asked them to be more daring in their play. In the second half, Trinidense showed what it knows how to play.

Despite the celebratory win, Arrúa cautioned that the team's true test lies in achieving consistency against opponents with comparable budgets. "Our pending task is to win those games against teams with similar resources. The team always gets motivated against the big teams, but we want every week to be the same. If we achieve that regularity, we can fight for important things," he said. He also noted the team's growth, referencing a previous win against Cerro Porteño in the Apertura tournament, and stressed the importance of building on this success in upcoming matches.

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Our pending task is to win those games against teams with similar resources. The team always gets motivated against the big teams, but we want every week to be the same.