Medellin soccer coach satisfied with 1st-leg stalemate

Independiente Medellin coach Hernan Dario Gomez said Wednesday he was “comfortable” with the 0-0 result against Millonarios in the first leg of the Colombian soccer Liga Postobon championship.

Despite huge built up and anticipation the match at Medellin’s Estadio Atanasio Girardot failed to live up to the billing as neither side could break the deadlock.

Millonarios will no doubt be the happier of the two sides as they know that they now have home advantage to look forward to when the two sides meet in the second leg in Bogota on December 16.

Gomez admitted that the game was not much of a spectacle but remains confident of gaining a result in the capital which will see DIM lift their sixth title in its history.

“I see the fans were bored, sad, but I’m comfortable with the outcome. We are an organized team, very practical,”

“I want to thank the fans that came with us, filled the stadium and sang forever,”

“Millionaires is a great team, we knew that in the first half. Millionaires handled the ball and had a chance to score, but the match remains at 0-0 and that is key. I’m not worried, do not discount us.”

Millonarios had the better of a slow first half and could have taken the lead on a number of occasions with the final pass often eluding the front men.

After the break the hosts improved and looked more threatening in attack, however, with five minutes left on the clock they were reduced to 10-men when their captain Jhon Viafara was shown a second yellow card for simulation in the penalty area.

The red card could prove costly for DIM as he will miss the decisive second leg in Bogota.

It is sure to be a cauldron of an atmosphere at the Estadio El Campin as Millonarios aim for their first league title in 24 years, while Medellin will hope to cause an upset and bring glory to Colombia’s second largest city once again.

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