Ayala Hat Trick Lifts Paraguay Past El Salvador

Monserrath Ayala scored three times as Paraguay came from two goals down to beat El Salvador 3-2 on Monday night at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador, the second of two friendlies between the sides, three days after Paraguay won the first 5-1 in the same stadium.

For 45 minutes, El Salvador looked like a different team. Brenda Cerén finished a fast counterattack in the 23rd minute, and Danya Gutiérrez doubled the lead before halftime. The match turned early in the second half. Ayala pulled one back, El Salvador lost Nicolle Amaya to a second yellow card in the 56th minute, and two minutes later Ayala leveled from a free kick outside the area. Gutiérrez was sent off on a second booking in the 69th minute, and Ayala completed her hat trick with a powerful low shot against nine players. Eric Acuña’s side now turns to the United States, its quarterfinal opponent at the Concacaf W Championship on November 27 in Texas.