Millionaires sealed the first 90 minutes of rehearsal of 2023 with a two-goal draw against Hertha Berlin, at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee (Florida, USA), in which it was noted that he is still in the preseason and in the that combined the virtues and defects of last year.
Alberto Gamero repeated, in practice, the same team from last year, with only one of the reinforcements on the pitch, Daniel Giraldo. Neither Fernando Uribe nor Leonardo Castro traveled to the United States and the fourth reinforcement, Jorge Arias, was just announced minutes before the initial whistle of the game against the Germans.
Now without Carlos Andrés Gómez, transferred to Real Salt Lake in the United States, Gamero decided to unite Mackalister Silva, Daniel Cataño and Daniel Ruiz in the same line and leave the only striker available, Luis Carlos Ruiz, at the forefront. The pressure, at first, suffocated him, but very quickly, Silva, after two rebounds, grabbed a ball in the area and kept it in the Hertha goal.
Daniel Giraldo showed his weight and importance, as if he had not had a one-year hiatus in Junior, and for now he beat Larry Vásquez, who ended up on the bench.
The Germans didn’t create much danger in the first stage and then, at 7 minutes into the second half, Daniel Ruiz put in a brilliant pass and Luis Carlos Ruiz finished over the goalkeeper.
With the advantage, Millonarios began to show some cracks, some normal due to the lack of rhythm. Three minutes after making it 2-0, Wlfried Kanga discounted for Hertha, from a penalty, after an innocent handball from Juan Carlos Pereira in the area.
The goal caused a blackout in Millonarios, who began to stay and make defensive mistakes. Hertha only took advantage of one of them, in the 70th minute, after a great pass from Kevin Prince Boateng, a bad mark from Omar Bertel and a great finish from Lucas Tousart.
Gamero had to shake up the line-up to try to level the game, and, except for a cross shot that Álvaro Montero pulled off very well, he did not experience major scares again. He also did not generate many more options, beyond a free kick from Yuber Quiñones, who entered the second stage, and which demanded the goalkeeper.
Beyond the result, at Millonarios they know that the year is just beginning and that there are still things to prove, such as the fact of having two scorers available, who they lacked last year, and seeing what adjustments are needed in the midfield and in defense. , where the doubt remains on the sides. But in general, the team complied and now awaits River Plate in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
sports deputy editor
@josasc
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