Atlético Nacional wins Colombian Football League Final

Atlético Nacional defeated Junior in a penalty shootout (3-2) after an intense second leg of the final in the Colombian Football League, which ended in a 1-0 victory. This result resulted in a tie in the overall score of the tie, making Atlético Nacional the Colombian team with the most titles.

The match, which was closely watched by the Colombian national team coach José Néstor Pékerman, started with a highly motivated Nacional side that went for the win from the beginning but was only able to score one goal.

This result, added to the 2-1 victory for Junior in the first leg played in Barranquilla, resulted in a tied overall score that had to be decided from the penalty spot.

Just 32 seconds into the game, Marlos Moreno opened the scoring for the home team with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the box.

The ball reached him after a good collective play in which Nacional completed more than 10 passes and set the tone for the first half.

Nacional maintained a strong pressure on Junior's defense, waiting for them to make mistakes and leaving the Barranquilla team without ideas and trying to shake off the local players who were looking for the second goal.

In addition, the home team constantly changed positions on the field, which allowed them to take advantage frequently against their opponents' defenders.

The first half ended with a narrow 1-0 scoreline, although Macnelly Torres had the opportunity to increase the lead in the 44th minute when he received a ball in the center of the box from Yimmi Chará on the right wing.

The second half had a similar dynamic but with Junior better positioned on the field and Nacional leaving more spaces for their opponents compared to the first half.

In the 60th minute, a controversial play occurred when Junior claimed a penalty for Roberto Ovelar after a Nacional defender hit him with his elbow in a jump.

The match gradually opened up, with Junior becoming increasingly solid on the field and opportunities for both teams, although Nacional had better ideas, especially thanks to attacks from the wings.

Finally, the league had to be decided in the penalty shootout, where Nacional, supported by their fans, were more accurate and the Junior players succumbed to the pressure of the match.

Match Details

Atlético Nacional (1): Franco Armani; Gilberto García (m.76 Daniel Bocanegra), Alexis Henríquez, Óscar Murillo, Farid Díaz; Alexander Mejía, Sebastián Pérez; Yimmi Chará, Macnelly Torres (m.64 Alejandro Guerra), Marlos Moreno; Jefferson Duque.
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda.

Junior (0): Sebastián Viera; Iván Vélez, Andrés Felipe Correa, William Tesillo, Juan Guillermo Domínguez; Guillermo Celis, Luis Narváez, Gustavo Cuéllar; Vladimir Hernández (m.90 Félix Noguera), Roberto Ovelar; Edison Toloza (m.54 Juan Pérez).
Coach: Alexis Mendoza.

Goals: 1-0, m.1: Marlos Moreno.

Referee: Gustavo Murillo. Yellow cards for Correa, Narváez, and Pérez from Junior, and Henríquez, García, and Mejía from Atlético Nacional.

Incidents: Second leg of the Colombian Football League final played at the Atanasio Girardot stadium in Medellín, with 44,707 spectators in attendance, including Colombian national team coach José Néstor Pékerman.