Deportivo Táchira snatches away from Estudiantes de Mérida the leadership in Venezuelan soccer

Deportivo Táchira beat Inter Barinas and climbed to the top / Photo: Deportivo Táchira Press

Deportivo Táchira, champion of the Venezuelan Football League in 2023, snatched the lead of the 2024 Clausura Tournament from Estudiantes de Mérida, with a 4-1 win over Inter de Barinas on the ninth date, which concluded on Sunday.

At home, the black and golds achieved victory, which eluded them the previous week, thanks to goals from the Argentine Mauro Maidana – who opened the scoring – followed by the Venezuelan Carlos Sosa, the Colombian Felipe Pardo and the also local Roberto Rosales.

Although the Barinas team tied the game in the 41st minute, through a goal scored by Ángel Urdaneta, Táchira quickly overcame the defenses and achieved the victory they needed to take the lead in the tournament.

This change in the scoreboard was also due to Mérida’s poor performance against Carabobo – Apertura champion – in a match that ended without goals but with a red card against the student Jesús Alberto Chima Gil, for a foul in the added time.

Losing streak

In this way, the team from Merida lost the streak that kept them at the top of the competition, a position that was compromised after the defeat they suffered in the eighth round against Universidad Central.

Meanwhile, the university team had to settle this week for a draw against Portuguesa, while Rayo Zuliano managed to maintain third place despite drawing 2-2 with Metropolitanos.

As with the Apertura Tournament, the Clausura champion qualifies directly for the Copa Libertadores, while the runner-up will go to the Copa Sudamericana, both tournaments in 2025.

Caracas / EFE