In the Atanasio Girardot stadium, Internacional de Bogotá achieved a vital victory against the powerful Independiente Medellín, driven by a brilliant performance from midfielder Dereck Moncada, who found the net twice. The scoring opened in the 5th minute of the first half when Moncada executed a clever play to score his first goal of the match. He doubled the lead just before halftime, netting his second at the 41st minute.
Despite Leyser Chaverra managing to convert a penalty in the 33rd minute of the second half, it was not enough to change the outcome for the home team, known as ‘El Poderoso de la Montaña’.
Independiente Medellín had more attempts on goal, with a total of 20 shots compared to the 6 from Internacional de Bogotá, yet only 8 of those found the target, while 11 missed the mark.
Dereck Moncada was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, not only scoring twice but also attempting to extend the lead further with an additional two shots. Goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez from Internacional de Bogotá also had a remarkable performance, making several crucial saves, stopping 4 attempts on goal.
The match also saw a moment of magic from Independiente Medellín’s forward, John Montaño, who executed a stunning nutmeg on his marker just 9 minutes into the first half.
Coach Alejandro Restrepo set his team up in a 3-5-2 formation with Salvador Ichazo in goal; Leyser Chaverra, Kevin Mantilla, and José Ortiz forming the defense; and Esneyder Mena, Leider Berrío, Halam Loboa, Didier Moreno, and Francisco Chaverra in midfield. Up front were John Montaño and Francisco Fydriszewski.
On the other side, Ricardo Valiño’s team opted for a 4-5-1 formation, with Wuilker Faríñez guarding the goal; a defensive line of Joan Castro, Carlos Vivas, Daniel Rodas, and Yulián Gómez; a five-man midfield including Dannovi Quiñones, Larry Vásquez, Dereck Moncada, Facundo Boné, and Kevin Parra; and Juan Valencia leading the attack.
The referee overseeing the match was Álvaro Meléndez Panneflek.
Looking ahead, Independiente Medellín will face Cúcuta away, while Internacional de Bogotá will host Deportivo Cali. After this match, Medellín finds itself in 17th place with 2 points, whereas Internacional de Bogotá rises to the top with 10 points.
Independiente Medellín Substitutions
45’ 2T – Leider Berrío was replaced by Enzo Larrosa
67’ 2T – Esneyder Mena was replaced by Gerónimo Mancilla, Francisco Chaverra by Diego Moreno, and Halam Loboa by Alexis Serna
84’ 2T – Didier Moreno was substituted off for Andrés Dávila
Yellow Cards for Independiente Medellín:
10’ 2T Francisco Chaverra (Insulting or dissenting the referee)
Internacional de Bogotá Substitutions
56’ 2T – Dereck Moncada was substituted out for Rubén Manjarrés
71’ 2T – Kevin Parra off for Johan Caballero
81’ 2T – Facundo Boné was replaced by Miguel Angel Amaya
Yellow Cards for Internacional de Bogotá:
15’ 1T Larry Vásquez (Insulting or dissenting the referee), 32’ 1T Juan Valencia (Unsportsmanlike behavior), 46’ 1T Dannovi Quiñones (Insulting or dissenting the referee), 8’ 2T Ricardo Valiño (Insulting or dissenting the referee), 16’ 2T Daniel Rodas (Delaying the game), and 47’ 2T Joan Castro (Insulting or dissenting the referee)