Cortuluá defeats Junior
Cortuluá defeated Junior as visitor. The team led by Alexis Mendoza started winning with a goal from Jarlan Barrera. Carlos Rodas and Juan Camilo Roa scored for Tuluá in the third matchday of the Liga Águila 2015 - II.
From the first minute, Atlético Junior showed their superiority at the Metropolitano stadium. Their pace and ball control were overwhelming against their opponent who also had no spaces when recovering the ball.
In the first ten minutes, the clearest chance for the home team occurred when Roberto Obelar won the sprint on the left side and crossed for Jorge Aguirre who, face-to-face with goalkeeper Pablo Mina, wasted the opportunity thanks to the goalkeeper's anticipation.
But it was only ten minutes. Junior lost control of the ball and their opponent settled in their own area to prevent the home team from getting closer again. Even though they were not creating clear chances on goal defended by Sebastián Viera, they maintained order and made it difficult.
Only in the 45th minute, Junior managed to have their second chance on goal in the first half. A shot from Vladimir Hernández that hit the right post of goalkeeper Mina left the few fans who were at the Metropolitano with the scream of goal stuck in their throat. That's how the first half ended.
In the second half, Junior came out the same, with the same attitude, and saw their reward in the 55th minute when Jarlan Barrera finally managed to score in a match with few goals, not only at the Metropolitano. After a pass from Hernández, the young player managed to beat Mina. It is not easy to defend throughout the entire game.
But something changed the match. In the 53rd minute, a substitution was decisive for Cortuluá to equalize the game. Veteran Carlos Rodas came on for Harold Reina and, in the 70th minute, it paid off for Jaime de la Pava's team.
A foul near the edge of the area was claimed by Rodas, who hit it and scored a great goal. It was a masterful free-kick that froze Junior's defense and goalkeeper Viera. It was the visitor's equalizer and the game became complicated for the home team.
Toloza and Obelar tried to put Junior back in the lead, but Mina became the savior of his team with two great saves that were also decisive.
But the nightmare for Junior didn't end there. They couldn't maintain the victory nor the draw, as in the 92nd minute, Juan Camilo Roa gave the victory to Tuluá, who maintained their unbeaten record and have not lost in the tournament.
In the next matchday, Junior will close the round against Patriotas as visitors, while Cortuluá will visit Huila in the first game on Saturday, August 1st. With this result, Cortuluá is second with 9 points, while Junior remains with 4 in eighth place in the standings.