The match in Cali will mark the farewell to the fields of veteran forward Adrián Ramos, who announced his retirement after a 20-year career.
Atlético Nacional intends to complete its task today in Cali in the final match against América and win its seventh Colombia Cup, a goal that is close to achieving after the 3-1 victory in Medellín, where the first taste of the final was held at the Pascual Guerrero stadium.
The green and white team from Medellín, which is also in the final of the Colombian league, took a firm step in its aspiration of becoming two-time champion of the competition, a feat that became a reality in 2012 and 2013 when it was led by coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
This time he has the Mexican coach Efraín Juárez on the bench, to whom the Major Division of Colombian Soccer (Dimayor) has just lifted a sanction and will be able to lead Sunday from the line.
Nacional, who will use the same starting eleven, gave proof of character by coming back at the Atanasio Girardot.
He recovered from the goal by Duván Vergara, the figure of the scarlet team, and with a performance outstanding winger Andrés Felipe Román, scorer of the tie, was able to hit first in the series. Winger Marino Hinestroza and forward Alfredo Morelos, with a successful past at Scottish Rangers, also scored.
“At home and away we are going to play in the same way, so now we have to recover and correct. On Sunday we want to have a better performance than today (Thursday),” purslane assistant Luis Pérez declared after the victory.
America, for its part, will have to shake off the dust and cling to the energy of its fans, who long to win the Colombia Cup for the first time and end a four-year drought without titles. In 2020 he won the Colombian league under the guidance of Argentine coach Juan Cruz Real, and now, led by Uruguayan coach Jorge ‘Polilla’ Da Silva, he will have to score at minus two goals to force penalties or concede three to historic goalkeeper David Ospina to be crowned champion.
The match in Cali will mark the farewell to the fields of veteran forward Adrián Ramos, who announced his retirement after a 20-year career and wearing the shirt of Colombian national teams and clubs from Germany, Spain and Venezuela. The captain is emerging as a first baseman after the poor performance of Argentine Rodrigo Holgado in Medellín.
Meanwhile, defender Éder Álvarez Balanta is out due to the muscle injury he suffered in the first leg and for which he had to be relieved in the 20th minute. Andrés Mosquera Guardia He will take his place in a line of three with Daniel Bocanegra and Brayan Medina, while Vergara is in trouble due to the trampling he suffered in a dispute with midfielder Edwin Cardona.
“We have 90 minutes left, there are things we can correct. It’s going to be rough on Sunday, but we’re no longer complaining. We can do it. In the first half we showed that we have what it takes. It’s the last game of the year and we have to give up life “Da Silva said.
With this context, it is likely that the Uruguayan strategist will use midfielder Alexis Zapata to replace Harold Rivera to have a more offensive proposal at home.
The 2024 Colombia Cup gives a place to the South American Cup. In the case of América, due to its score in the League, it has already secured its place in the competition through reclassification, while Atlético Nacional has the possibility of being in the Copa Libertadores if it wins the Finalización Tournament, of which it will play the final against Deportes Tolima on December 18 and 22, so the place in the Sudamericana would be given to Millonarios.
– Probable alignments:
America: Jorge Soto; Daniel Bocanegra, Andrés Mosquera, Brayan Medina; Yerson Candelo, Franco Leys, Alexis Zapata, Edwin Velasco; Cristian Barrios, Adrián Ramos, Duván Vergara.
Coach: Jorge ‘Polilla’ Da Silva
National Athletic: David Ospina; Andrés Felipe Román, Felipe Aguirre, William Tesillo, Álvaro Angulo; Sebastián Guzmán, Jorman Campuzano; Marino Hinestroza, Edwin Cardona, Andrés Sarmiento; Alfredo Morelos.
Coach: Efraín Juárez.
Stadium: Pascual Guerrero, Cali.
Time: 17.00 (22.00 GMT on Sunday). EFE
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