Junior, Atlético Nacional, América de Cali, Pereira, La Equidad and
Deportivo Cali. These are the six teams that join Tolima and
Independiente Medellín in the next phase of the Copa Mustang II.
On what could be considered the most important day of the tournament except for the tournament, teams jumped from one position to the other with these eight sides eventually conquering a top spot.
We begin this report in Barranquilla, where Junior secured their spot in the next round with a 3-1 win over Santa Fé, who drop out of the top eight and have their season ended.
Junior’s Teófilo Gutiérrez opened the score on nineteen minutes and Luis Yanez doubled the lead nine minutes after the break. Cristian Nazarit gave Santa Fé new hope in the 62nd minute but Gutiérrez netted his second for 3-1 with a few minutes left.
While Santa Fé had their hopes ended in Barranquilla, the two remaining Bogotan sides, La Equidad and Millonarios fought for their right to appear in the next round.
Millonarios hosted Envigado and needed an exceptionally short time to open the score as Rafael Robayo netted after about twenty seconds. Elinho then made it 2-0 in the 21st minute and at that point, Millos needed only one more goal to advance on goal record. Instead, Envigado’s Alvarez scored in the 74th minute and from that moment on, Millonarios depended on what happened elsewhere in the city.
That ‘elsewhere’ is El Techo stadium, where La Equidad hosted Deportivo Cali. For a long time, the two sides kept each other away from their goals but La Equidad did eventually get the goal they needed as Motta scored with just twelve minutes to go. As a result, La Equidad finish 7th, Cali 8th and Millonarios are on the wrong side of the line, in ninth place.
Atlético Nacional finished third thanks to a 2-0 win over Atlético Huila. Both goals were scored by Perea, in the 11th and 40th minutes.
América de Cali had no difficulties beating Copa Mustang I champions Boyaca Chicó. Otalvaro broke the deadlock just before the interval and Ramos scored shortly after to double the lead. Pacheco soon got one back for Chicó but Ramos then netted another for 3-1. Arango scored the home side’s fourth in the 83rd minute and Asprilla’s goal for 4-1 in added time made no difference.
Deportivo Pereira did well to beat Atlético Bucaramanga 3-0 and finish sixth in the league. Parado, Quintero and Medina scored the goals.
Once Caldas beat Cúcuta Deportivo 0-1 thanks to a goal from Ciciliano, but the win wasn’t enough to enter the top eight as the former South American champions finish in tenth place. Cúcuta end the season at the bottom of the table.
The match between Quindío and Pasto had to be suspended several times. If it wasn’t for fans invading the pitch, it was for heavy rain making it impossible to continue play. The only goal of the match was scored in the ninth minute, by Hernández.
Based on results over the last three years, Bucaramanga have to spend their next season in Colombia’s second division while Envigado have to appear in a play-off to avoid relegation.
Draw for the next round
Group A
Deportes Tolima
Atlético Nacional
Independiente Medellín
La Equidad
Group B
Junior Barranquilla
Deportivo Pereira
América de Cali
Deportivo Cali
Cities with active teams in next round: Medellín, Cali, Ibagué, Barranquilla, Pereira, Bogotá.