In the fourth matchday of Group A in the first division, Junior triumphed at home against At. Nacional on Sunday afternoon. The visitors started brilliantly, taking the lead in the 41st minute through a powerful header from Dairon Asprilla. Nevertheless, Junior fought back to turn the tide in their favor with two second-half goals – one from Joel Canchimbo in the 66th minute and the other from Steven Rodríguez just before the end of the match at 90.
Dairon Asprilla received widespread commendations for his striking finish at the end of the first half. After expertly connecting with a corner taken by Juan Rengifo, the forward positioned himself cleverly inside the penalty area, nodding the ball into the net at the right post, putting At. Nacional ahead.
Early in the match, Junior had a golden opportunity to score when Jhomier Guerrero struck the post just seven minutes into the game, missing a crucial chance to put his team ahead.
Steven Rodríguez stood out as the most impressive player on the pitch, showcasing his skill by netting a vital goal for Junior. Alongside him, Joel Canchimbo also made significant contributions by scoring once.
Junior’s coach, Alfredo Arias, deployed a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Mauro Silveira in goal; Jhomier Guerrero, Lucas Monzón, Daniel Rivera, and Yeison Suárez in defense; Didier Moreno, Guillermo Celis, and Yimmi Chará in midfield; and a forward line of José Enamorado, Guillermo Paiva, and Bryan Castrillón.
On the other hand, At. Nacional’s manager, Diego Arias, opted for a 4-5-1 setup, with David Ospina guarding the net; Andrés Román, Simón García, William Tesillo, and Camilo Cándido forming the defense; Jorman Campuzano, Matheus Uribe, Marino Hinestroza, Juan Rengifo, and Juan Bauzá in the midfield; and Dairon Asprilla as their lone striker.
Andrés Rojas Noguera was the referee officiating the match at the Estadio Metropolitano.
Looking ahead to the next round, Junior is set to host América de Cali, while At. Nacional will play at home against Independiente Medellín in a highly anticipated clash that promises to ignite the fervor of their devoted fans.
Junior Substitutions
45’ 2T – Bryan Castrillón was replaced by Jesús Rivas
57’ 2T – Guillermo Celis was substituted for Joel Canchimbo
82’ 2T – Guillermo Paiva made way for Teófilo Gutiérrez
87’ 2T – José Enamorado was replaced by Steven Rodríguez
Yellow Cards for Junior:
40’ 2T – Jesús Rivas (Unsporting behavior)
43’ 2T – Yeison Suárez (Unsporting behavior)
At. Nacional Substitutions
72’ 2T – Marino Hinestroza was substituted by Marlos Moreno; Juan Rengifo went off for Edwin Cardona; and Juan Bauzá was replaced by Andrés Salazar
73’ 2T – Simón García made way for César Haydar
84’ 2T – Dairon Asprilla was replaced by Facundo Batista
Yellow Cards for At. Nacional:
30’ 1T – Simón García (Unsporting behavior)
35’ 1T – Andrés Román (Unsporting behavior)
47’ 1T – Juan Bauzá (Unsporting behavior)