For the first time since 2021, Colombia will have four representatives in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. Medellín joined Santa Fe, Junior and Tolima this Thursday, thanks to a difficult 2-1 victory against Juventud de las Piedras, which will now go to the Sudamericana.
Medellín arrived with the obligation to win at home to move forward in the Libertadores. He seemed to find calm very early, at 15 minutes, in a play of pure fighting by Diego Moreno, who twice caught rejections from the visiting defense. In the second he opened the ball to the right, from where Francisco Fydriszewski launched the cross for Hayen Palacios to score with a header to make it 1-0.
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The suffering due to the tie of Juventud de las Piedras
However, tranquility is something that has not been known lately on the red side of Antioquia. Federico Barredeguy, Juventud de las Piedras’ top scorer in the tournament, took advantage of a barrier in which they were more concerned with covering a shot at ground level than with covering the view and surprised Ichazo, who also looked very bad. 1-1 and the specter of penalties appeared for an Atanasio in which it flooded in the first stage.
Medellin vs. Youth of Stones Photo:Jaiver Nieto. THE TIME
What’s more, the Uruguayans almost took the lead at half-time, in a play in which there was a double miracle in the south goal: the first, in another free kick by Lago, in which a teammate made a screen and bothered Ichazo, who saved in the first instance, but gave a rebound that Emanuel Más could not take advantage of: it was in a difficult angle and he sent it horizontal.
Alejandro Restrepo Photo:Jaiver Nieto. THE TIME
Restrepo made two changes at halftime, looking for more attack: Leyser Chaverra and John Montaño for Daniel Londoño and Diego Moreno. The visitors felt more and more comfortable and from time to time became emboldened. And with the one in which the mintuos became a mano a mano, in which neither of the two was effective. Medellín tied the tally of shots on the post with a shot by Montaño, with a previous deflection.
There was also controversy: at 62, Medellín complained about an alleged handball by Barradeguy. It seemed to exist, but referee Juan Benítez did not consider it that way and the VAR, although it took a while to review it, did not call it on the screen either.
Fydriszewski unlocked the game
Finally, at 82, Medellin found the advantage in a corner kick from Frank Fabra and a header from ‘Polaco’ Fydriszewski, who on the Medellín bench celebrated not as if they were qualifying for the group stage, but for the final of the Libertadores.
The Uruguayan team wanted to brave instead of looking for a tie. First he was left with 10 when Barradeguy was injured and he no longer had any changes. And at 90+1, Ramiro Peralta took justice into his own hands by attacking Halam Loboa after being fouled: a red card.
But, we insist, with Medellin nothing is easy lately. The last minutes were suffering, because the Uruguayans put it in their goal. He managed to hold on. Medellín has at least six other games this year in the Libertadores.
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The goals of Medellín’s victory
