Peñarol held scoreless by Deportivo Maldonado in Clausura opener away from home

A point that feels a bit thin but arrives at the right time. Peñarol visited Estadio Domingo Burgueño Miguel and couldn't get past a 0-0 draw with Deportivo Maldonado, in a match for the third matchday of the Torneo Clausura. The result left mixed feelings, but the assessment from the black and gold locker room was fairly honest about what happened on the field.

Eduardo Darias, the carbonero midfielder, stood in front of the microphones and didn't hold back. He admitted that the first half belonged to Deportivo Maldonado, who created more chances and looked more dangerous, while Peñarol only managed to even things out in the second half.

I think it was a great match. In the first half they had a lot more chances than we did, they created more, then in the second half it evened out. It was a nice game to watch, I think it was a good show.Eduardo Darias

The challenge of playing in Maldonado

Beyond the result, Darias focused on something every visiting team knows well: Deportivo Maldonado is an uncomfortable opponent at home. It's no coincidence that the team from the east tends to be tough there, and that forces visitors to adjust quickly to a match that almost never goes according to plan.

The midfielder was clear about the attitude needed to walk away with a point on a field that doesn't forgive mistakes.

They're on their own field and we know they're strong here. Maybe we didn't get off to a good start, but in these matches, when you can't play your game, you have to fight to get something out of it.Eduardo Darias

That idea of fighting sums up pretty well what the match was for Peñarol: a first half to endure and a second half to start balancing things out, without managing to take all three points but not leaving completely empty handed either.

What's next: the clásico

With this draw, Peñarol picked up a point on its trip to the east of the country and now has its sights set on a very different challenge. The next stop in the Torneo Clausura is nothing less than the clásico against Nacional, for the fourth matchday. It's a match that, as always, changes the mood of any week, and one in which Darias's side will look to show a more solid version of itself from the start, something it didn't quite manage in Maldonado.

The challenge now is to sustain that fighting spirit Darias mentioned, but from the very first minute. Because against Nacional, losing control of the match early on could cost a lot more than it did in Maldonado.