Millionaires returns to El Campín after 58 days without home action

Millionaires returned to El Campín after 58 days without home action. The match against Once Caldas started with very good goal options, pressuring the opponent, opening the field on the sides, taking advantage of the good projection of Lewis Ochoa - who ended up injured - and Deiver Machado, and showed a strong offensive. However, they left doubts in the defensive part; despite Nicolás Vikonis having little action.

The first clear opportunity for the blue and white team was a header by Gabriel Díaz receiving a perfect left-footed shot from Machado, but the ball went wide. Ochoa, Maxi Núñez, Rafael Robayo, and Michael Rangel also tested goalkeeper José Fernando Cuadrado, who responded well to the demands.

Once Caldas started with a great offensive vocation with Sebastián Penco, Johan Arango, and Gustavo Culma; but individualities prevented them from finishing the actions. Arango had the clearest chances and tried on his own, lacking collective work to surprise goalkeeper Vikonis; in the blue defense, they did not find major restrictions.

The magical afternoon for the blues was in the feet of Núñez and brightened with Rangel, who had several one-on-one opportunities with the Once Caldas goalkeeper. He pressed, insisted, and shot in search of putting the ball in the back of the net. The clearest chance came after an action from Maxi from the right side; he headed but it went over the crossbar. The thousands of fans at El Campín stood up but had to suppress the goal shout.

Apparently, the order for the number 9 forward of Millionaires, at halftime, was to increase the pressure in the opponent's field. Rangel had a greater presence in the Once Caldas field and therefore more opportunities to score; in less than two minutes, he forced Cuadrado to fly from one post to another. First, he surprised him with a volley with his right leg that went wide on one side, and then, with a header that the goalkeeper managed to hold.

But beautiful football, the one with good ball touch, the one with pause and generation from three quarters forward came with the presence of Mayer Candelo, who entered the field of play in the place of Federico Insúa. Two clear options to score came from the feet of the '10' blue and white.

The modifications of the Manizales team also gave results. Fredy Salazar, Jhon Valoy, and Óscar Estupiñán brought Vikonis into the game, who had to anticipate several actions to avoid the fall of his net.

In the end, a back and forth match, with opportunities for both teams but without goals. Two stand-out players: goalkeeper José Fernando Cuadrado, who denied the victory to the blues in their first match of the Liga Águila II-2015 at El Campín, and Maxi Núñez for his generation of ideas in midfield and the precision of his passes. Millionaires and Once Caldas have not yet won in the tournament. The blues have also not scored in two games.