The match took place at the Hernán Ramírez Villegas Stadium, where the Poderoso de la Montaña comfortably defeated Furia Matecaña, scoring 4-1 in their clash on matchday 19 of the first division.
Pereira’s Jhon Palacios opened the scoring early with a goal in the 5th minute of the first half. However, the home side quickly recovered and took control of the game. Jhon Montoya netted the only goal for Pereira in the 12th minute of the second half.
Notably, Baldomero Perlaza extended Medellín’s lead with a brilliant play, scoring in the 42nd minute of the second half after receiving a well-placed cross from José Ortiz that he skillfully converted into a goal.
Independiente Medellín’s Brayan León had a chance to further their advantage but missed a penalty in the 90th minute of the second half.
The standout player of the match was Jarlan Barrera, who consistently threatened the opposing goal with six shots. Jhon Montoya also played a crucial role, scoring once and making two further attempts.
Pereira’s coach, Cristian Galindez, opted for a 4-5-1 formation featuring Samuel Atehortua in goal, supported by Santiago Mosquera, Julián Ortiz, Jared Rodríguez, and Jacobo López in defense. The midfield was stacked with Jhon Montoya, Sebastián Ruiz, Josseph Mosquera, Miguel Aguirre, and Ronaldiño Mosquera, with Andrés Calderón leading the attack.
On the other hand, Independiente Medellín’s coach Alejandro Restrepo set up a 3-4-3 formation with Éder Chaux in goal, backed by defenders Jhon Palacios, Kevin Mantilla, and José Ortiz. The midfield comprised Mender García, Jaime Alvarado, Diego Moreno, and Juan David Arizala, while the attacking trio consisted of Jarlan Barrera, Jader Valencia, and Brayan León.
The match was officiated by referee Diego Ulloa Angulo.
Looking ahead, Pereira will travel to face La Equidad in their next match, while Independiente Medellín will host América de Cali.
After this defeat, Pereira falls to 16th place in the standings with 18 points and only four wins, effectively diminishing their chances of qualification. In contrast, Independiente Medellín stands proud at the top of the table with 37 points from 11 victories, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the Cuadrangulares.
Substitutions for Pereira
45’ 2T – Jacobo López out for Santiago Alzate, Kevin Mantilla out for Leyser Chaverra, and Jader Valencia out for Baldomero Perlaza
73’ 2T – Andrés Calderón out for Gian Carlo García
76’ 2T – Jhon Montoya out for Jorge Martínez
Red Card for Pereira:
30’ 2T – Samuel Atehortua (Direct red)
Substitutions for Independiente Medellín
63’ 2T – Jarlan Barrera out for Luis Sandoval
64’ 2T – Mender García out for Esneyder Mena
Red Card for Independiente Medellín:
40’ 1T – Diego Moreno (Direct red)