Santa Fe wins in Pereira and equals the leader in points

Independiente Santa Fe returned with the right foot to the BetPlay League after beating Deportivo Pereira 1-2 on the 9th date of the championship, which allows it to match Tolima at the top of the tournament with 16 points. Fainer Torijano and Jersson González scored the winning goals, while Diego Álvarez scored for Craviotto’s team.

First time

The teams began proposing offensive play, despite the 6-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pace from the start was not slow and the first part from the opening whistle was entertaining.

Santa Fe came out better, pressing high and holding the ball, appealing to the good partnership between Velásquez and Seijas who in the first 45 minutes looked good and empathetic, generating good football above.

Pereira managed to settle better on the court and began to approach the goal Castellanos who on the 10th minute made a mistake after cutting a cross badly but corrected it immediately saving a shot from Ordóñez. Only 5 minutes later, the first of the match arrived.

Luis Manuel Seijas took a corner kick from the right side of the court and Fainer Torijano, in a specialty of the house, sent her to the back of the arch after an impeccable header before which goalkeeper Castillo could do nothing.

Despite receiving the blow, the locals reacted well. They went on offense looking for equality quickly and in minute 21 they succeeded. Good play on the left that ended in a cross at the far post and Diego Álvarez, the experienced scorer, received completely only to then cross the auction well before the departure of Castellanos.

With 1-1 the game went back and forth, despite the fact that the cardinals had another two clearings in the feet of Seijas and the head of Ramos, but the goalkeeper matecaña responded well and saved his goal. The Bogotanos finished somewhat better the first half but the 1-1 was the marker to go to rest.

Second time

For the beginning of the second part, Santa Fe came out with the same dynamic: high pressure and possession of the ball to control the game, before a Pereira who gave the initiative. As a result of having possession, the Bogota citizens failed to generate much danger at the start of the last 45 minutes.

In fact, Pereira approached with more danger. At minute 54 Ramos took a ball that went to the back after a header from Lopera. Later, Artunduanga had a very clear against Castellanos but his shot in an incredible way went outside.

As the minutes passed, Santa Fe was released more after the entry of Fabián Sambueza and Daniel Giraldo, who had entered for the start of the second half, had two clear but goalkeeper Castillo prevented him from celebrating his goal. LThen the rhythm dropped and the game went into a pothole in which the dispute for the ball was centered in the middle of the field, without much danger on the goals.

When it seemed that the game was going like this, at minute 81 came the cardinal’s winning goal. Carlos Arboleda who had a good match, threw a ball from the right side and Jersson González, who had entered minutes before, sent her to the back with a good header in the middle of the centrals.

Pereira tried to equalize in the final minutes, but the Bogotaans defended themselves well and with intelligence managed to maintain the result and take the 3 points to the capital after 6 months of pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.