Early Red Card Impacts Medellín’s Match Against Pereira

Medellín suffered a setback in their Apertura 2026 campaign as forward Francisco Chaverra was ejected in the 27th minute of their match against Deportivo Pereira. The dismissal significantly altered the course of the game, according to reports.

The Incident: Dangerous Play Leads to Expulsion

The red card stemmed from a challenge on Yuber Quiñones during a Pereira counterattack. Chaverra pushed his rival from behind to craft him fall to the ground, while on the other hand he stepped on his Achilles Heel. Initially shown a yellow card, the decision was overturned after a VAR review revealed the severity of the foul.

“The referee changed the decision and sent him off for dangerous play.”

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The play occurred almost immediately after Marco Pérez scored to give Pereira the lead.

Team Response and Fan Reaction

Despite controlling the match up to that point, Medellín struggled after being reduced to ten players. Coach Alejandro Restrepo made four substitutions in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the expulsion, but Pereira maintained pressure. Fans in the Atanasio stadium voiced their displeasure with Chaverra as he left the field.

Chaverra has faced criticism from fans recently, with some calling for him to leave the team.

Chaverra’s Expulsion Among Fastest in Apertura 2026

Chaverra’s 27th-minute dismissal was the fifth-fastest red card issued in the Apertura 2026 season to date. Other quick expulsions included Junior Hernández (Tolima, 4 minutes), Yony González (Medellín, 7 minutes), Sebastián Rodríguez (Cúcuta, 16 minutes), and Nicolás Gil (Pasto, 26 minutes).