In a thrilling encounter at Estadio Metropolitano, Junior secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Independiente Medellín in the first match of Group A in the first division. The breakthrough came from Didier Moreno in the 35th minute of the first half, who found the back of the net after receiving a precise cross from Yimmi Chará.
Mauro Silveira proved to be crucial for Junior, earning the title of man of the match by making six impressive saves throughout the game.
Moreno’s performance was pivotal, not only for scoring the solitary goal but also for his overall contribution on the field. Under the guidance of coach Alfredo Arias, Junior lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, positioning Mauro Silveira as the goalkeeper; with Edwin Herrera, Javier Báez, Yimmi Chará, and Yeison Suárez forming the defense; and Daniel Rivera, Guillermo Celis, Didier Moreno, and Carlos Esparragoza taking charge in midfield. Up front, José Enamorado and Guillermo Paiva led the attack.
On the other hand, Alejandro Restrepo’s team, Independiente Medellín, opted for a 3-4-3 strategy, with Washington Aguerre defending the goal; Leyser Chaverra, Fáiner Torijano, and Daniel Londoño held the backline; while Esneyder Mena, Baldomero Perlaza, Alexis Serna, and Francisco Chaverra worked in the middle. The forward trio consisted of Jarlan Barrera, Jaime Alvarado, and Brayan León.
The match was officiated by referee Andrés Rojas Noguera.
Looking ahead, Junior will face América de Cali in their next outing, while Independiente Medellín will host At. Nacional, marking an important classic matchup for their supporters.
Substitutions for Junior
45’ 2T – Javier Báez replaced by Jermein Peña
67’ 2T – Carlos Esparragoza replaced by Joel Canchimbo
77’ 2T – Didier Moreno replaced by Jesús Rivas
87’ 2T – José Enamorado and Guillermo Paiva replaced by Bryan Castrillón and Steven Rodríguez respectively.
Yellow Cards for Junior:
37’ 1T Guillermo Celis (Unsporting behavior)
40’ 1T Yimmi Chará (Unsporting behavior)
0’ 2T Javier Báez (Unsporting behavior)
3’ 2T Yeison Suárez (Unsporting behavior)
35’ 2T Edwin Herrera (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Independiente Medellín
26’ 1T – Washington Aguerre replaced by Éder Chaux
60’ 2T – Alexis Serna replaced by Luis Sandoval
61’ 2T – Jarlan Barrera replaced by Leider Berrío
84’ 2T – Jaime Alvarado and Francisco Chaverra replaced by Jader Valencia and Juan David Arizala respectively.
Yellow Cards for Independiente Medellín:
48’ 1T Leyser Chaverra (Unsporting behavior)
0’ 2T Brayan León (Unsporting behavior)
Red Card for Independiente Medellín:
48’ 1T Alejandro Restrepo (Direct red)