The match played on Tuesday at the Santiago de Atalayas Stadium ended in a lively 2-2 draw between the Furia Matecaña and the Rojinegros.
Pereira started the game with strong intentions, showcasing their dominance early on. Yuber Quiñones opened the scoring with a shot in the second minute of the first half. However, Cúcuta’s Omar Albornoz equalized in the 24th minute of the second half with a well-timed header. Jordy Monroy then restored Pereira’s lead in the 44th minute of the second half, but Jaime Peralta emerged as the hero for Cúcuta, scoring a crucial header in the 46th minute to secure the draw.
Jaime Peralta delivered an impressive performance, netting one goal and taking four shots throughout the match. Another standout player was Jorge Martínez, the Pereira goalkeeper, who made an impressive nine saves to keep his team in the contest.
Coach Arturo Reyes for Pereira deployed a tactical 5-4-1 formation with Jorge Martínez in goal, supported by defenders Jordy Monroy, Richard Rentería, Sebastián Urrea, Danilo Ortiz, and Fabio Delgado. The midfield consisted of Miguel Aguirre, Jorge Bermúdez, Sebastián Acosta, and Yuber Quiñones, with Luis Moreno leading the attack.
On the other hand, Cúcuta, managed by Richard Páez, opted for a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Federico Abadía in goal, with a defensive line of Yair Abonia, Diego Calcaterra, Brayan Córdoba, and Mauricio Duarte. The midfield comprised Kevin Londoño, Victor Mejía, Jhon Valencia, Leider Berdugo, and Eduar Arízalas, with Luifer Hernández upfront.
Supervisor Jonathan Ortiz Tonguino ensured the game maintained its order throughout.
Looking ahead to the next match, the Furia Matecaña will host Alianza FC, while the Rojinegros are set to play at home against Boyacá Chicó.
Currently, the host team, Cúcuta, is positioned in 20th place in the league with 6 points, whereas Pereira sits in 18th place with 8 points.
Substitutions for Pereira
45’ 2nd Half – Danilo Ortiz out for Eber Moreno, Jhon Valencia out for Lucas Ríos, and Kevin Londoño out for Santiago Orozco.
Sent off in Pereira:
7’ 2nd Half – Sebastián Acosta (Direct red card)
Substitutions for Cúcuta
56’ 2nd Half – Victor Mejía out for Jaime Peralta and Luis Moreno out for Nicolás Rengifo.
66’ 2nd Half – Eduar Arízalas out for Omar Albornoz.
79’ 2nd Half – Diego Calcaterra out for Jhon Quiñónes.
Yellows for Cúcuta:
30’ 1st Half – Eduar Arízalas (Unsportsmanlike behavior), 14’ 2nd Half – Brayan Córdoba (Unsportsmanlike behavior), and 36’ 2nd Half – Santiago Orozco (Unsportsmanlike behavior).