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In a weak match that ratified the bad moment of both clubs, América de Cali fell 1-2 with Nacional this Saturday at Pascual Guerrero, in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the BetPlay League 2020, completing its third consecutive defeat in House.
After several casualties due to different circumstances and threats of not playing, what was seen was a meeting that was too interrupted by fouls, with few arrivals at the goals in the initial period of time and a penalty for each side.
The truth is that the teams lacked criteria to handle the ball and only in the second half was Nacional clearer to play in collective actions and try to penetrate a defense that looked good. The visitor finished in the scarlet area, but he had not been forceful, settling for the point, but at the end of the engagement he achieved victory with a header from Jefferson Duque, the purslane hero, who scored a double.
The absences of Juan Pablo Segovia (1 sanction date), Rafael Carrascal (3 dates) and Marlon Torres (presumably due to covid-19) weighed on the premises, who also played 69 minutes with 10 players due to the unacceptable expulsion of Rodrigo Ureña.
In minute 5, after a cross from Velasco on the left, Adrián Ramos came in to receive him and fell in the area before Diego Braghieri’s mark. They reviewed the VAR and Ariza considered that there was nothing. Velasco again broke the purslane defense at 19 to put a deep ball into the area, but Ramos again failed to make contact with the tool.
At 33, Velasco put a deep pass from the center, Daniel Quiñones entered the area and fell after the youthful Jímer Fory stepped on the right guayo, Ariza gave a penalty, but they called him to see the VAR and after a few minutes of doubt he ratified the decision. Adrián Ramos charged at the right post and deceived José Fernando Cuadrado for 1-0, at 38.
Rodrigo Ureña irresponsibly stepped on Yerson Mosquera’s right calf when he fell after colliding with Velasco in the middle of the court, in a treacherous foul, and the Chilean was expelled at 26 minutes, after Edilson Ariza looked at the VAR.
That forced Cruz Real to send Yesus Cabrera and Luis Sánchez further back to make a 4-4-1 that contained what Nacional was going to organize in attack from there. But it was not like that, because only at 43 minutes the Antioquia team tried with a shot from Baldomero Perlaza that went above the horizontal.
At 45, Joel Graterol went for a ball that Jefferson Duque was looking for, touched it with his hands and produced another penalty that the same Duke executed at the left post, dislodging him to the Venezuelan, for the tie, over 48.
With the entry of Déinner Quiñones for the second half, Alejandro Restrepo wanted to take advantage of the superiority with a man of imbalance, while Cruz included Carlos Sierra for Yesus Cabrera, when he fulfilled a double task of sacrifice and game organization, perhaps for taking care of the expulsion to already have yellow.
A charge by Duván Vergara in the 13th minute hit Duque’s left leg and almost dug into the left corner of Cuadrado’s goal. Then it was Carlos Sierra who tried with a left foot that passed near the left post.
América lost the ball and saw how Nacional played in their territory and barely disturbed again with a quick exit from Vergara in the 25th minute.
Graterol saved a shot from Hernández at 36 and immediately Vergara took a shot that was lost by centimeters over the crossbar.
On 41, Nacional wove a beautiful collective play, Vladimir Hernández raised the center in 5.50, Duque came behind Jaramillo and just had to turn his neck to head and beat Graterol for 1-2. Nacional was just the winner against an America without football, in which the coach’s hand is not seen and numerically diminished.
Next Saturday (8:00 pm) this confrontation will be repeated at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, in Medellín to see the second classified to the semifinal of the League. The Reds must win or they will bid farewell to the championship without achieving the goal of keeping last year’s crown.
Synthesis:
America 1-1 National
America from Cali: Joel Graterol (5); Daniel Quiñones (6), Felipe Jaramillo (5), Pablo Ortiz (5), Edwin Velasco (7); Luis Alejandro Paz (6), Rodrigo Ureña (SC), Yesus Cabrera (6); Luis Sánchez (5), Duván Vergara (5), Adrián Ramos (5).
Changes: Carlos Sierra (6) by Yesus Cabrera (9 ST), Jhon Arias by Luis Sánchez (20 ST).
DT Juan Cruz Real.
National: José Fernando Cuadrado (6); Yerson Mosquera (6), Diego Braghieri (6); Brayan Córdoba (6), Jímer Fory (6); Baldomero Perlaza (6), Bryan Rovira (6), Andrés Andrade (5), Jarlan Barrera (6); Vladimir Hernández (6), Jefferson Duque (8).
Changes: Déinner Quiñones (6) by Andrés Andrade (1 ST), Jorge Segura (6) by Diego Braghieri (26 ST).
DT (e): Alejandro Restrepo
Goals: 1-0: Adrián Ramos (38 PT, from a penalty). 1-1: Jefferson Duque (48 PT, penalty). 1-2: Jefferson Duque (41 ST, header).
Admonished: Yesus Cabrera (14 PT), Jhon Arias (27 ST) for America. Brayan Rovira (25 ST) by Nacional.
Expelled: Rodrigo Ureña (26 PT).
Figure: Jefferson Duke (8)
Match: Regular
Stadium: Pascual Guerrero
Referee: Edilson Ariza (6)
Marco Antonio Garcés
Correspondent Futbolred Cali
On twitter: @marquitosgarces
