In a thrilling encounter at the General Santander Stadium, Independiente Medellín showed their prowess by defeating Cúcuta 3-1 in a match that counted for the sixth round of the Colombian league. The opener came from Didier Moreno, who put the visitors ahead in the 15th minute. Although Leider Berdugo equalized for Cúcuta with a penalty just before halftime, the match turned again in the second half.
The turning point came early in the second half when Alexis Serna scored in the 53rd minute, restoring Medellín’s lead. Shortly after, in the 55th minute, John Montaño extended the advantage to 3-1 with a decisive strike. This solid display ensured that the “Poderoso de la Montaña” left with all three points.
Cúcuta had their moments as Kevin Londoño nearly equalized with a shot that hit the post in the 26th minute of the first half, but it was not to be their day. Throughout the match, Didier Moreno stood out not only for scoring a goal but also for his overall influence on the game.
Montaño was another key player for Medellín, finding the net once and attempting two additional shots on target, highlighting his offensive contributions.
Cúcuta’s coach, Richard Páez, opted for a 4-3-3 formation featuring Juan Ramírez in goal, Yair Abonia, Diego Calcaterra, Sebastián Rodríguez, and Mauricio Duarte in defense, backed by Kevin Londoño, Victor Mejia, and Lucas Ríos in midfield. Up front, Eduar Arízalas, Jonathan Agudelo, and Frank Castañeda aimed to create scoring chances.
On the other side, Alejandro Restrepo’s Medellín deployed a 3-5-2 formation, with Salvador Ichazo guarding the goal, Leyser Chaverra, Kevin Mantilla, and José Ortiz forming the defense, while Esneyder Mena, Didier Moreno, Halam Loboa, Diego Moreno, and Francisco Chaverra provided support in midfield, and Francisco Fydriszewski along with John Montaño spearheaded the attack.
The match official Wilmar Montaño Guevara oversaw a well-contested game.
Looking ahead, Cúcuta is set to face Alianza FC away, while Independiente Medellín will host Pereira in their next fixture. Following this latest match, Cúcuta remains in the 18th position with only 2 points, while Medellín climbs to 15th place with 5 points in the tournament.
Substitutions for Cúcuta
37’ 1T – Lucas Ríos out for Leider Berdugo
54’ 2T – Kevin Londoño out for Juan Ceballos, Frank Castañeda out for Luifer Hernández
62’ 2T – Diego Calcaterra out for Jhon Quiñónes, Eduar Arízalas out for Jhon Valencia
Yellow Card for Cúcuta:
39’ 2T Jhon Quiñónes (Insulting or disapproving of the referee)
Red Card for Cúcuta:
42’ 1T Jonathan Agudelo (Direct red)
Substitutions for Independiente Medellín
34’ 1T – Halam Loboa out for Alexis Serna
64’ 2T – Didier Moreno out for Leider Berrío, John Montaño out for Gerónimo Mancilla
85’ 2T – Francisco Fydriszewski out for Enzo Larrosa, Francisco Chaverra out for Juan Manuel Viveros
Yellow Cards for Independiente Medellín:
0’ 1T Leyser Chaverra (Unsporting behavior), 45’ 1T Francisco Fydriszewski (Unsporting behavior), 41’ 2T José Ortiz (Holding an opponent to prevent advancement), 43’ 2T Esneyder Mena (Delaying the game)