Junior defeats Tolima and will face América in semis

Junior is the last semi-finalist of the 2020 BetPlay League. Those led by Luis Amaranto Perea were imposed by the minimum difference over Deportes Tolima in the Metropolitan de Techo and advanced to the next phase in which they will have América de Cali as their rival.

First half with few emotions beyond the initiative of Tolima, who had a shot off the post at the start, but the action was invalidated by offside, and a mid-range shot by Luis Miranda that Sebastián Viera controlled. In front, a Junior who was not very interested in going on the attack and was more concerned about putting the game through and defending the advantage obtained in Barranquilla.

The VAR appeared in Techo

The bad news for Hernán Torres came when the first half hour of play was over. Infringement in the middle of the court for which Wilmar Roldán was called by the VAR due to possible expulsion. The judge reviewed the action, retracted the reprimand and He showed Leyvin Balanta the direct red for the strong tackle on Didier Moreno.

Andrey Estupiñán was the one sacrificed to bring in Jonathan Marulanda and rebuild the defensive line. For its part, Amaranto Perea’s team took a high free kick from Fredy Hinestroza near the break.

Tolima fought, but it did not reach him

Despite the numerical inferiority, Tolima did not give up the attack, in the second half the pressure returned and began to win the duels in the middle of the court, complicating the defense of the visitor thanks to the speed of the Vinotinto attackers, against a Junior who at times had a hard time stopping that intensity and he did not have precision in the counterattacks either.

Tolima had the equality of the series 10 minutes from the end. Anderson Plata, who joined the complement, fought it against several opponents, won it and the ball was free for Miranda, who finished with power inside the area, but went over the top the crossbar. There was also an option for Juan Fernando Caicedo, but there was a timely closure from a central defender.

A penalty to ensure classification

Junior’s classification was in suspense until the last minutes, when Cariaco González made an individual play that ended with the hand of Anderson Angulo. The judge whistled a penalty and Miguel Borja was in charge of changing it for a goal to seal the series 2-0 in favor of the Barranquilla team on a Tolima that ended with 9 men after the expulsion in the end of Yeison Gordillo.

The semifinal ends at the Metro

Junior will face América de Cali in one of the semifinals of the BetPlay League, a series that will begin in Pascual Guerrero and the finalist will be known in the return game at the Metropolitan of Barranquilla, with dates and times pending to be defined by Dimayor.