Santa Fe soccer club drew 2 – 2 with Atletico Nacional in an rare midweek Colombian league match, stretching the Bogota team’s unbeaten streak to 11 games.
Nacional opened the scoring at Santa Fe’s El Campin stadium in the 36th minute, after Colombian international Dorlan Pabon’s fine cross was fired into the roof of the net by Fernando Mosquera from six yards out.
The goal woke Santa Fe up from their first half slumber, and the sides would have gone in level at half time had Argentine Omar Perez not missed a penalty just before the break.
But Nacional’s lead did not last long. Within three minutes of play resuming, Perez made up for his earlier miss by beating Argentine defender Christian Tula with ease and fired a controlled shot past his compatriot Gaston Pezzuti into the bottom corner.
Ten minutes later Nacional’s Pabon turned from provider to goalscorer. The serial marksman — top scorer in the Copa Libertadores — latched onto a long pass from Jherson Cordoba and coolly slotted the ball past Camilo Vargas.
But the Medellin team were not home and dry, a clumbsy tackle from Farid Diaz gave Santa Fe their second chance from the penalty spot. Perez once again stepped up to the plate, and this time came out on top against his compatriot between the posts.
Both coaches felt that 2 – 2 was a satisfactory result after a thrilling game, with Santa Fe’s Wilson Gutierriez calling it a “very difficult” match.
Despite dropping points in the last minute, Nacional’s assistant coach John Galeano said, “The draw mathematically keeps us alive,” giving his team hope they can finish the league within the top eight and qualify for the Apertura playoffs. Santa Fe now sit second in the league on goal difference. Nacional are currently sitting 12th, three points adrift from the top eight.
For a round up of the rest of the fixtures from the Liga Postobon week 13, follow this link.