Santa Fe showed a show of character to hold on with two fewer players for 25 minutes and win a victory worth gold in Valledupar, against Alianza.
This Sunday's 0-1 at the Armando Maestre Pavajeau stadium kept the Reds at the top of the league: They are fourth, with 19 points, and they already have three wins in a row, two of them as visitors. As if to get excited.
Santa Fe took control of the match very early and in a nice collective play took the lead, thanks to a goal from the usual Hugo Rodallega, in the 9th minute.
The experienced attacker appeared in the area to finish with a header, falling, after a pass to the left and a good cross from the Uruguayan Agustín Rodríguez, who increasingly understands himself better with his partner in the 'Cardinal' forward.
The goal seemed to go badly for Alianza, who couldn't find a way to find a tie. But the game began to get complicated for the visitor after referee Alexander Ospina showed the red card to Yilmar Velásquez, in the 30th minute, after hitting Andrés Rentería.
Santa Fe began to hold on with one less and for the second stage, coach Pablo Peirano took out Rodríguez and re-established his trio in the middle with the entry of Iván Scarpeta.
Alianza had the ball, but not the options, and Peirano had to readjust the middle of the field with a fresh man with more marks, Jhojan Torres, instead of Juan Pablo Zuluaga.
A new expulsion, that of Francisco Chaverra, for a tremendous elbow to Joel Contreras, one of those who entered Alianza to try to get the most out of the extra man, forced Santa Fe to practically give up the attack. And even more so when Rodallega was injured, after several frictions and protests that delayed the resumption of the game.
Already with Elvis Perlaza on the field, with Jhon Meléndez in the middle of the field and with Daniel Torres more leader than ever, Santa Fe had the character to withstand a team that came at them in search of a tie that did not come.
It was a lesson in character, in endurance, in leadership. Santa Fe knew how to suffer and celebrates a very important victory.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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