In a solid display of performance, Junior dominated Bucaramanga, leaving them scoreless in a 2-0 victory at the Romelio Martínez Stadium. The forward Jannenson Sarmiento opened the scoring in the 41st minute of the first half, followed by Teófilo Gutiérrez who sealed the match with a goal just at the kickoff of the second half.
At the 41st minute, Sarmiento lifted the spirits of the home fans with a stunning free-kick from the right, finding the back of the net with precision into the left post.
Jannenson Sarmiento was undoubtedly the star of the match, showcasing his skills by scoring once and attempting two shots on goal.
Goalkeeper Mauro Silveira also stood out, making six crucial saves to keep Bucaramanga at bay.
Just three minutes into the second half, Fabián Sambueza dazzled the crowd with a nutmeg on Juan Ríos, adding excitement to the match.
Junior’s coach Alfredo Arias deployed a 4-2-4 formation with Mauro Silveira in goal; Jhomier Guerrero, Lucas Monzón, Jermein Peña, and Yeison Suárez as defenders; Juan Ríos and Jesús Rivas in midfield; and Bryan Castrillón, Cristian Barrios, Jannenson Sarmiento, and Teófilo Gutiérrez leading the attack.
Bucaramanga, under Leonel Álvarez’s management, opted for a 4-4-2 formation, with Luis Vásquez in goal; Aldair Gutiérrez, Jefferson Mena, José García, and Carlos de las Salas in defense; Gustavo Charrupi, Felix Charrupí, Kevin Londoño, and Fabián Sambueza in the midfield; and Jhon Fredy Salazar and Luciano Pons up front.
Referee Luis Delgado Hurtado officiated the match.
In their next fixture, Junior will face Internacional de Bogotá away, while Bucaramanga will visit Águilas Doradas Rionegro.
This result places Junior with 22 points in the tournament, holding the fourth position, while Bucaramanga accumulates 19 points, currently sitting in ninth place.
Substitutions for Junior
- 58’ 2T – Bryan Castrillón was substituted for Kevin Pérez
- 64’ 2T – Jannenson Sarmiento was replaced by Harold Rivera and Teófilo Gutiérrez by Luis Muriel
- 79’ 2T – Cristian Barrios went out for Joel Canchimbo, Juan Mosquera for Juan Mosquera, and Jesús Rivas for Andrés Shmalbach
Cautions for Junior
- 3’ 2T – Bryan Castrillón (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
- 40’ 2T – Luis Muriel (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
Substitutions for Bucaramanga
- 45’ 2T – Jhon Fredy Salazar was substituted for Aldair Zárate
- 61’ 2T – Carlos de las Salas was replaced by Carlos Romaña and Felix Charrupí by Brandon Caicedo
- 70’ 2T – Gustavo Charrupi was substituted for Leonardo Flores
Cautions for Bucaramanga
- 23’ 2T – Jefferson Mena (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
- 24’ 2T – Carlos Romaña (Unsportsmanlike conduct)