Extremely narrow victory for the Antioquian team at the Departamental Libertad.
The second round of the quadrangular final phase of Colombian football has begun! Group A began at the Departamental Libertad, where Atlético Nacional defeated Deportivo Pasto with a 1-0 victory, thanks to a solitary goal from midfielder Sebastián Guzmán.
With this result, the Antioquian team stands out as the big favorite in its zone, posting a perfect score after its first matches of the phase. The matchday will end next Tuesday with the classic encounter between Independiente Santa Fe and Millonarios at El Campín.
There was a disappointing turnout of Pasto fans, as the home team failed to impose their game. The impressive performance they showed against the Millonarios in the opening match was now far behind , leaving them visibly disorganized on the ground. To the point that their opponents were able to exploit their weaknesses from the first minutes.
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Around the 20th minute, Marino Hinestroza initiated an attack down the right flank and found Pablo Ceppelini in the area, who deftly pivoted to serve Sebastián Guzmán. The young midfielder seized the opportunity to unleash a superb strike into the bottom left corner of Diego Martínez’s goal. What a goal!
Far from easing the pressure, Nacional continued to create clear chances. In the 40th minute, they attempted a so-called “decisive” pass that Andrés Sarmiento was unable to connect to in the area; two minutes later, Ceppelini tried his luck from distance, but goalkeeper Martínez made the save.
In the second half, neither team changed their approach: the home team was unable to threaten David Ospina’s goal, while the visitors dominated without batting an eyelid.
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In fact, Atlético Nacional could have increased their lead in the 51st minute when, once again, Marino Hinestroza raced down the right flank and delivered a cross, which William Tesillo attempted to head home at the far post. Unfortunately for the defender, his shot grazed the crossbar.
Later, in the 69th minute, Edwin Cardona, whose suspension was reduced for provocations during the Antioch classic, took charge of a free kick near the area. The experienced player, with little angle, aimed at Diego Martínez’s post, but the ball went just wide. Towards the end, the ’10’ had another chance to score when he found himself in a duel with the opposing goalkeeper, but his lofted attempt fell short.
In the end, Atlético Nacional secured a 1-0 victory, a result that keeps them at the top of Group A with six points (perfect score), while Deportivo Pasto remains bottom of the standings with zero points.
