After ending an extensive losing streak, the Deportivo Independiente de Medellín (DIM) took air over the weekend to seek their qualification this Wednesday when they receive the Ecuadorian El Nacional in the second leg of the second phase of the Libertadores Cup.
A 0-1 win over Alianza Petrolera in the colombian league It represented the DIM to get out of a nine-game gap without winning, including those of the previous semester, and to assume with a better face the final fight against the “Puros Criollos”, who start as favorites to advance due to their good moment.
DIM, by classification
“This victory gives us a breather. It is to get rid of that frustration that we have been carrying (…) Winning is always comforting and helps us have quiet days to think about what we have to do: seal our way to the next round of the Copa Libertadores” , said the DIM technician, David González. For the current Colombian runner-up, having equalized 2-2 at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium in Quito, where the “Bi-Tri” officiated as a local, gives him a dose of confidence to close the key with the impulse of his fans in the Atanasio Girardot in Medellin.
However, the “Rojo de la Montaña” will have sensitive casualties for this match due to muscle injuries to defender Jonathan Marulanda, winger Andrés Ibargüen and midfielder David Loaiza, while it is possible that winger Yulián Gómez could enter the call after overcome their ailments. El Nacional is going through a better moment from sports and in the health of its squad, so it was able to travel with the bulk of its squad, including the forwards Byron Palacios and Ronie Carrillo, authors of the goals in the first leg.
The only casualty confirmed by the “Puros Criollos” coach, the Uruguayan-Paraguayan, Ever Hugo Almeida, is that of goalkeeper Leodán Chalá after getting injured during the game against Aucas, whom they beat 0-2 at the start of the Ecuadorian championship for stepping hard on the return to series A by beating the current champion. For the second leg, it is confirmed that goalkeeper David Cabezas will repeat as a starter, as will defenders Jerry Parrales and Andrés Micolta, included among the travelers who arrived in Colombia on Monday.
“All the games are different. You have to see what the rival presents; we have our football idea, which has given us results. We have our own and if we do what we have been doing, we are calm,” Almeida declared before moving to Medellín.
The “Bi-Tri”, who will go out to play unceremoniously against the Colombian team, already showed their strength in the first round of the Libertadores by authoritatively eliminating the Bolivian Nacional Potosí, whom they thrashed 1-6 in Bolivia and by 3 -1 in Quito.
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Medellin vs. The National
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
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