In a thrilling encounter at the Metropolitano Stadium in Itagüí, At. Nacional and Junior battled to a 1-1 stalemate on matchday 3 of Group A in the top tier of Colombian football.
The game saw At. Nacional take an early setback, trailing after Guillermo Paiva’s goal put Junior ahead in the 41st minute of the first half. However, the home team’s hopes were reignited when William Tesillo equalized just five minutes into the second half.
As the match wore on, At. Nacional came close to snatching a late victory in the dying moments when Camilo Cándido’s shot hit the post in the 90th minute.
Despite dominating the offense with a staggering 29 shots on goal, At. Nacional’s finishing left much to be desired. They managed 15 shots on target but couldn’t find the back of the net again, with 12 shots going wide and one striking the woodwork.
Junior’s goalkeeper, Mauro Silveira, was phenomenal, registering eight crucial saves to keep his team in the matchup. Defensively, William Tesillo shone for At. Nacional, not only scoring the equalizing goal but also clearing seven dangerous balls.
At. Nacional’s head coach, Diego Arias, set his team up in a 4-5-1 formation, featuring David Ospina in goal, supported by Andrés Román, Simón García, William Tesillo, and Camilo Cándido in defense. The midfield comprised Jorman Campuzano, Matheus Uribe, Marino Hinestroza, Edwin Cardona, and Juan Bauzá, with Alfredo Morelos leading the attack.
On the other hand, Junior, managed by Alfredo Arias, adopted a 4-3-3 formation with Mauro Silveira in goal, and a backline of Yeison Suárez, Daniel Rivera, Jermein Peña, and Edwin Herrera. The midfield featured Guillermo Celis, Jesús Rivas, and Didier Moreno, while the frontline was made up of Yimmi Chará, José Enamorado, and Guillermo Paiva.
The match official, Diego Ulloa Angulo, maintained order throughout the contest.
Looking ahead, At. Nacional will face Junior away in their next outing, while Junior will host At. Nacional at home.
Substitutions for At. Nacional
51’ 2T – Juan Bauzá off for Marlos Moreno
52’ 2T – Edwin Cardona off for Juan Rengifo
81’ 2T – Matheus Uribe off for Facundo Batista
87’ 2T – Marino Hinestroza off for Billy Arce
Yellow Cards for At. Nacional:
33’ 1T – Jorman Campuzano (Unsporting Behavior)
44’ 1T – David Ospina (Unsporting Behavior)
41’ 2T – Alfredo Morelos (Unsporting Behavior)
Substitutions for Junior
64’ 2T – Jesús Rivas off for Carlos Esparragoza
80’ 2T – José Enamorado off for Fabián Ángel and Yimmi Chará off for Lucas Monzón
89’ 2T – Guillermo Paiva off for Steven Rodríguez
Yellow Cards for Junior:
26’ 1T – Jesús Rivas (Unsporting Behavior)
30’ 2T – Guillermo Paiva (Unsporting Behavior)
42’ 2T – Mauro Silveira (Unsporting Behavior)
Red Card for Junior:
33’ 2T – Jermein Peña (Direct Red)
The split points leave both teams hungry for more as they prepare for the next challenges.