It doesn’t matter that it rained, there were those who contained. If the man wasn’t there, maybe Junior wouldn’t survive… It’s not verse. Junior’s victory has its own name: Sebastián Viera. Led by the Uruguayan, the rojiblanco team was able to keep their goal clean, beat Santa Fe 1-0 and qualify for the quarterfinals of the Colombia Cup, where they will face Atlético Nacional in the second half of the year.
‘San Sebastian’ put his hand in. His miraculous saves were vital for the ‘Sharks’ to come out on top last night at the Nemesio Camacho El Campín stadium. Even in Dany Rosero’s great header, after taking a corner kick from Luis ‘Cariaco’ González, at minute 82, he had something to do with it. That corner came after José Silva avoided a goal from the keeper’s free kick.
Junior, who won the first leg 2-1, suffered in the first half. He was unable to circulate the ball and keep it away from Viera’s goal, who had to work hard to prevent Santa Fe from taking the lead.
In the middle of the rain, with a very wet pitch, the local team did not have clarity in their game, but they were willful and determined in their attack in search of opening the scoring.
The Uruguayan Matías Mier, with his shots with the ball still and in motion, bombarded the visiting area and caused several scares. But it was not only that, at the point of centers, failed rejections and rebounds, there were other accelerations of the heart. The entire initial stage was distressing and dramatic for the ‘Sharks’.
Matías Mier was a headache for Junior. His medium and long-distance shots caused more than one scare, but when they were heading they met a goalkeeper named Sebastián Viera. Where are you going, ball! pic.twitter.com/ND0wfdJPMI
— DeportesEH (@DeportesEH) May 12, 2022
There were too many spaces between the midfielders and the red-and-white defense. When they tried to attack and Santa Fe recovered the ball, they were badly stopped and without return. There was no order or connection.
Yesus Cabrera was conspicuous by his absence. Hinestroza and Edwin Cetré had a hard time coming back. Didier Moreno and Daniel Giraldo had the full weight of contention without the best support.
Viáfara saved twice in the small area, Rosero also came to the rescue, but the biggest firefighter was Viera. The gloves of the charrúa put out the fires on the balcony of his cabin over and over again.
With the creed in his mouth and without creating a clear scoring option, apart from a moment of inspiration from Gabriel Fuentes on the left that did not fully bear fruit, Junior closed the curtain on the first half, but before that Cetré squandered unbelievably, with almost the entire arc available and without a goalkeeper, a move that was more difficult to throw than to take advantage of. The winger fired right where the only obstacle was and bye-bye bullseye.
Miguel Borja, as in the entire initial period, was waiting for the pass. The scorer was totally orphaned in the midst of Junior’s poor collective performance.
In the second period, coach Juan Cruz Real sent Fabián Sambueza to the field instead of the foolish, and surely discouraged, Cetré. The substitution improved Junior’s actions a little, but Viera did not stop working and drowned out Estupiñán’s goal cry with a header from a corner kick.
And Mier kicked incessantly. However, Santa Fe was losing strength with the changes he made due to injury. Velásquez, one of the most stressful for the rojiblanca defense, left the game and there were fewer emergencies.
The game was balanced and then leaned in Junior’s favor with the expulsion of the newcomer Harold Rivera and with the goal of Rosero.
With that header from the Valle del Cauca defender, confirming once again his good first half, the round of 16 series was over. Everything was under shark control. Even the “ole” was heard in the gallery of the rojiblancos supporters. The local storm had passed and the victims were not from Junior. Viera put on her cape. If he wasn’t…
Actions of the game between Santa Fe and Junior at the El Campín stadium. pic.twitter.com/kOzadoQ1qr
— DeportesEH (@DeportesEH) May 12, 2022
MINUTE BY MINUTE
1. Matías Mier finished off very strong and low. The ball went buzzing off Viera’s left post.
8. Viáfara twice rejects a ball that Coniglio won from Rosero and that Velásquez intended to finish off.
25. Viera rebounds against a shot from outside the area. Arias tries to clear, Mier puts his leg in and the ball could have ended up in Junior’s goal, but it was left in the hands of Viera.
31. Matías Mier’s free kick that Viera sends to the corner kick.
40. Cetré, unbelievably, almost under the goal, squanders a center that Borja could not fully reach. The winger had almost the entire goal at his disposal and defined just where the only local defender was.
44. Viera returns and saves Junior’s cabin before a point-blank shot from Coniglio after a series of rebounds in the area.
SECOND TIME
57. Viera rescues his goal again, this time against a header from Estupiñán in a corner kick.
79. Another attempt by Mier from the outside. The ball passed near the left post of the Atletico goalkeeper.
81. Red card for Harold Rivera for a double warning.
82. Silva flies to the upper right corner before Viera’s free kick.
82. Junior’s GOAL. Dany Rosero scores with a perfect header on the edge of the small area in a corner kick made by ‘Cariaco’ González.
90+3. Shot by ‘Cariaco’ González that crashes into the crossbar.
Formations:
Santa Fe: Jose Silva; Harold Gomez, Jerson Malagon, Jose Ortiz, James Tamayo; Leonard Peak, John Peters; John Velasquez, Matthias Wednesday, Andrew Stupiñan; Fernando Coniglio.
DT: Augustine July.
Junior: Sebastian Viera; Fabián Viafara, Dany Rosero, Jorge Arias, Gabriel Fuentes; Didier Moreno, Daniel Giraldo; Edwuin Cetré, Yesus Cabrera, Fredy Hinestroza; Miguel Borgia.
DT: John Royal Cross.