That famous phrase by Édgar Perea, “You have to kill Junior,” became stronger than ever this Wednesday, when El Tiburón overwhelmed Tolima in Barranquilla, beat them 4-2 and reached the grand final of the 2023-II League.
Tolima played with two results, a draw and a victory. Junior only needed to win, and he started looking for it from the moment referee Wílmar Roldán whistled to start the game. And after 6 minutes, Gabriel Fuentes hit a shot from outside the area to leave goalkeeper Christian Vargas with no option.
In one of the few respites that Junior allowed him, Tolima found the tie, in the 22nd minute: after a shot by Marlon Torres that hit the post, Kevin Pérez took the rebound and beat goalkeeper Santiago Mele.
But Junior couldn’t be left alive. And the local team, guided by a brilliant Déiber Caicedo, found its scorer again, Carlos Bacca, who appeared twice. The first, in the 26th minute, to anticipate César Haydar after a cross from the left and goalkeeper Vargas and finish on the edge of the six-yard box for 2-1.
The second had the same protagonists, the same assister and the same finisher, but in different areas of the field: Caicedo, this time, hooked towards the center and touched on the edge of the area, and Bacca, this time, had time to stop, lift the look and finish from there, at 38.
A serious mistake by Emanuel Olivera, who went to cut a ball to the sideline and lost it, leaving a gap in the middle, was taken advantage of by Yeison Guzmán to put a crossed ball to the far post, where Diego Herazo arrived to score, in the minute 45+2. The goal took almost four minutes to get on the scoreboard, which took the VAR to determine that the scorer was cleared.
Deiber Caicedo’s great goal that cleared up doubts
Tolima put effort into it and at times gave Junior a scare or two and put goalkeeper Santiago Mele to work. But in the other goal, the visitor had problems: Christian Vargas, who replaced the injured Neto Volpi, had physical problems. And it was noticeable in the goal that sealed the match and the classification: Déiber Caicedo, from a free kick, made it 4-2 by hanging the ball at an angle. Great goal, but it was clear that Vargas was not in condition, to such a point that, immediately, coach David González took him out and sent the third goalkeeper, Juan Camilo Chaverra.
The visitor went all out in search of a discount and left space. Junior could have scored another goal on the counterattack. And the game got too heated. There was a clash between Jermein Peña and Marlon Torres that Roldán resolved the right way. But then he couldn’t take it anymore and fired Freddy Hinestroza and Juan David Ríos.
🔥🏆 A GREAT GOALER!
Thanks to the 2 scores tonight against Deportes Tolima, Carlos Bacca reached 101 goals with our team.
THE IDOL DOESN’T STOP! #VamosJunior🔴⚪️🔵 pic.twitter.com/0H8QZUWiUG— Junior FC (@JuniorClubSA) December 7, 2023
Never leave Junior for dead. Through courage and dedication, he reached the final and now waits for a dangerous Medellín, but he knows that in Barranquilla it is at a different price.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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