In the 15th round of the Colombian league, Deportivo Cali impressed with a 2-1 win over Junior on Friday. The Verdiblanco took an early lead, thanks to a remarkable performance from striker Steven Rodríguez, who scored twice. He opened the scoring with a well-executed play in the 30th minute of the first half and doubled the lead with a powerful shot just 25 minutes into the second half.
Junior managed to pull one back with a penalty converted by Luis Muriel in the 42nd minute, but it wasn’t enough to alter the outcome as Deportivo Cali held on for the win.
The match started on a contrasting note when Deportivo Cali’s Avilés Hurtado failed to convert a penalty in the 21st minute, missing the chance to give his team an early advantage.
Steven Rodríguez’s standout performance earned him the title of the match’s best player, as he displayed his talents by hitting the target three times during the game.
Matías Orozco also contributed significantly, playing a key role in midfield for Deportivo Cali.
Junior’s coach, Alfredo Arias, fielded a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Mauro Silveira in goal; Jhomier Guerrero, Jermein Peña, Lucas Monzón, and Yeison Suárez in defense; and Juan Ríos, Jesús Rivas, Bryan Castrillón, Jannenson Sarmiento, and Cristian Barrios in midfield, with Teófilo Gutiérrez leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Deportivo Cali, under Rafael Dudamel, adopted a 5-3-2 formation with Alejandro Rodríguez as their goalkeeper; Fabián Viáfara, Felipe Aguilar, Julián Quiñones, Fernando Álvarez, and Andrés Correa in defense; Ronaldo Pájaro, Matías Orozco, and Avilés Hurtado in midfield; and Steven Rodríguez paired up front with Juan Dinenno.
The match, officiated by José Ortiz Novoa, took place at the Romelio Martínez Stadium.
In their next fixtures, Junior will visit Águilas Doradas Rionegro, while Deportivo Cali will host Llaneros FC.
The victory puts Deportivo Cali in a strong position, accumulating 25 points, placing them in fifth, while Junior remains in seventh with 22 points.
Substitutions for Junior
45’ 2H – Cristian Barrios out for Kevin Pérez, Bryan Castrillón out for Guillermo Paiva, Jermein Peña out for Daniel Rivera, and Ronaldo Pájaro out for Andrés Colorado
52’ 2H – Teófilo Gutiérrez out for Luis Muriel
65’ 2H – Jannenson Sarmiento out for Joel Canchimbo
Yellow Cards for Junior:
5’ 1H Juan Ríos (Unsportsmanlike conduct), 15’ 1H Jermein Peña (Insulting or disapproving of the referee), 28’ 2H Alfredo Arias (Insulting or disapproving of the referee)
Substitutions for Deportivo Cali
67’ 2H – Matías Orozco out for Daniel Giraldo
68’ 2H – Avilés Hurtado out for Emanuel Reynoso
80’ 2H – Andrés Correa out for Juan José Tello
91’ 2H – Juan Dinenno out for Luis Orejuela
Yellow Cards for Deportivo Cali:
11’ 1H Felipe Aguilar (Unsportsmanlike conduct), 22’ 1H Ronaldo Pájaro (Unsportsmanlike conduct), 24’ 1H Julián Quiñones (Arguing with an opponent), 12’ 2H Alejandro Rodríguez (Time-wasting), 13’ 2H Matías Orozco (Unsportsmanlike conduct), and 36’ 2H Juan José Tello (Holding an opponent to prevent them from advancing)