The Shark delivered a decisive blow to the Ajedrezados with a 2-0 win during the fifth round of competition. Yeison Suárez opened the scoring for Junior just 9 minutes into the first half. Bryan Castrillón extended the lead with a second goal in the 61st minute of the second half.
Castrillón earned accolades for his exquisite header at the 61-minute mark, connecting brilliantly with a pass from Javier Báez and placing the ball in the right corner of Emiliano Denis Figueroa’s net.
With his outstanding performance, Yeison Suárez stood out as the man of the match, contributing not only a goal but also making significant defensive plays, clearing two dangerous balls from the area.
Another key player for Junior was goalkeeper Mauro Silveira, who made impressive saves, denying Boyacá Chicó four crucial attempts on goal.
Junior’s head coach, Alfredo Arias, set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, fielding Mauro Silveira in goal; Edwin Herrera, Javier Báez, Daniel Rivera, and Yeison Suárez in defense; and a midfield comprising Guillermo Celis, Carlos Esparragoza, John Salazar, Jesús Rivas, and Yimmi Chará, with Guillermo Paiva leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Boyacá Chicó’s manager, Flabio Torres, opted for a 4-4-2 formation, featuring Darío Denis in goal; José Ampudia, Frank Salas, Elian Peralta, and Yael López in defense; and a midfield with Jhonny Jordán, Johan Bocanegra, Kevin Londoño, and Delio Ramírez, and up front, Estéfano Arango and Jairo Molina.
Match referee Luis Gracia Benítez oversaw the proceedings at the Metropolitano Stadium.
In their upcoming match, Junior will visit Envigado, while Boyacá Chicó will host La Equidad. With this victory, Junior tops the league with 13 points, while Boyacá Chicó stands in ninth place with 5 points.
Substitutions for Junior
45’ 2T – Edwin Herrera was substituted for Jhomier Guerrero
55’ 2T – Guillermo Celis was substituted for Didier Moreno, John Salazar was substituted for Bryan Castrillón
69’ 2T – Jesús Rivas was substituted for José Enamorado, Guillermo Paiva was substituted for Teófilo Gutiérrez, and Jhonny Jordán was substituted for Michael Gómez
Yellow cards for Junior:
27’ 1T – Edwin Herrera (Unsporting behavior) and 47’ 2T – Guillermo Celis (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Boyacá Chicó
59’ 2T – Estéfano Arango was replaced by Vladimir Hernández
60’ 2T – Delio Ramírez was substituted for Enrique Camargo, and Johan Bocanegra was substituted for Luis Segura
77’ 2T – Kevin Londoño was replaced by Kevin Cortés