Santa Fe and Bucaramanga, the definitive battle in search of the star: heart-stopping ending

It has been a week of great anguish, of unbearable waiting, of tension, even of suffering from some strange heart disease, that has been for the fans of Santa Fe and Bucaramangawho with their nerves destroyed only hope that the ball will roll now, that the final battle will begin and that whatever has to happen happens, and that whoever has to win wins, but that it is not them, is what they ask, in the middle of his prayers.

Now what was, was; and the one who prayed, prayed, and it remains to wait who did it better, the rest will happen on the field of play, there where the 22 players, the reds and the yellows, the lions and the leopards, will take out their teeth and claws to go for that crown, both teams have already prepared the match, designed the strategy, refined their aim, practiced the penalties – in case it comes to such an ordeal -, now the coaches will make the final decisions, to see who enters and who leaves last minute, and the captains prepare their battle cry to infect their team in the dressing room, just before stepping onto the pitch.

That is part of their team intimacy, the fans’ task is to prepare their party, which this time will be with a red house, with El Campín, bursting with Santa Fe passion and with a minimum yellow partiality that will want to make themselves feel as if they were millions in middle of hell that will be that stadium where the lions rule.

The difference between reds and yellows

The 1-0 in the first leg is the difference that separates them, it is what has all of Bucaramanga so excited, that city that lives the pleasant dream of having the star so close, its first star, they say it and they don’t believe it , and they are convinced that fate cannot take away such an opportunity for glory, and all thanks to that goal from Fredy Hinestroza, who is the one who has them like this, delirious, because among them the optimism is enormous, they do not even inadvertently think that the title is going to escape them, for a reason they entered the field when that first game of the final was over, as if to tie together that star, so that it would not they escape.

In Santa Fe they were injured, they did not expect to start by losing the final, they did not expect to have such a lackluster match, not right now, they did not want to make their people suffer or relive old ghosts or old nightmares of lost titles at home, but that’s how it happened things, for that very reason, In Santa Fe they felt their pride touched and they want to go out and show what they are made ofremember that they were the best home run team, that they are powerful at home, that they have fought heroic battles, that they have a crowd to cheer them on, and that they have lions the size of Daniel Torres, Andrés Marmolejo and Hugo Rodallega.

Being from Santa Fe, they know it well, is being armored for these dramatic situations, it is having a steel armor for adversity, that is why these fans concentrate on their own work, that of encouraging with fidelity and passion during the 90 minutes and wait for the conquest of the tenth star to be given to them. The leader of the pack, Rodallega, already gave a voice of encouragement to the most distressed Santafereños in these days of anxiety, he spoke to them with the conviction of someone who promises to leave everything for this final. “Let’s simply focus our forces, on Saturday, we have to make ourselves felt, lions, it is our goal, let’s fight together, it is everything for everything, in our house we have felt their presence and strength throughout the semester, the final has to be historical“wrote the scorer.

Bucaramanga is also motivated because this year, in which he had his spectacular campaign – he was the best in the round-robin phase –, he made Bogotá his favorite place, as if nothing affected him, not even the height, as if it were also his house. In El Campín he had the audacity to beat Millonarios and Santa Fe himself, and those pair of victories are like a boost of optimism. “It is not a match like the rest of the season, these types of matches in the last 90 minutes are very emotionally demanding. They (the players) are prepared. We have grown in these types of moments,” said coach Rafael Dudamel.

Finals, it is often said, are defined by details, a carelessness ruins an entire illusion, and a moment of lucidity is capable of modifying emotions. Santa Fe will have the inevitable pressure of starting from behind on the scoreboard, so they must appeal to their patience to find the first goal, which would be the partial tie in the series. Bucaramanga will have to endure the very certain initial gale, and with the clock as its best friend, and with its brave and organized game, wait for despair to take over the rival. In Bucaramanga they don’t ask for more goals, they don’t obsess over it, they know that 1-0 can be enough.

Hinestroza himself said it: “With a 1-0 you can be champion. We are going to go to Bogotá to work the remaining 90 minutes, with humility and work. “This team deserves much more for everything they have done.”

There is nothing more to say for now, the rest of the story will be known tonight, when we will see the huge party of the champion and the eternal cry of the loser. Who will get what?

PABLO ROMERO

SPORTS journalist

@PabloRomeroET

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