Mission accomplished. Dull, leaving more worry than satisfaction, more doubts than certainties, Junior drew 0-0 against Plaza Colonia and advanced this Thursday night to the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana, where it will face Unión La Calera, from Chile, which eliminated Deportes Tolima.
Luckily the rival was meek. The Sharks did not play with enough consistency, inspiration and skill to overcome an opponent with a basic approach and overprotective of his bow, but with no association and very few offensive weapons to do damage. Even so, with all its limitations, the suspense around the outcome of the series remained until the last minute before the narrowness of the difference achieved in the first leg in Uruguay (1-0, with a goal from Teófilo Gutiérrez).
In the initial stage, Plaza Colonia stayed true to its script of hunkering down in the back and shooting at any local insinuation. The Uruguayan team surrounded the midfield and mined the edge of their area. All roads to the Santiago Mele arch were closed, especially those who tried to travel Teófilo Gutiérrez, who always had the sticky mark of a Uruguayan.
The rojiblancos fully controlled the ball, but could not find a way to penetrate the opponent’s armor. Junior was like a fly in a window. He crashed again and again without looking for another way out. The team I wanted to advance at the point of touches and it was impossible. It was necessary to face, dribble, hand in hand, one by one, overflow, centers, aggressiveness, determination. Greater daring to break the monotony in which the game moved.
Hinestroza, as almost always, tried to be disruptive and starred a couple of approaches from the left that failed to round off with a good cross. Gabriel Fuentes approached him on some occasions trying to build the society that would cross the visiting territory. However, that recipe was lacking in salt and pepper.
They didn’t taste good either the attempts of association between ‘Cariaco’ González and Marlon Piedrahíta on the right. Neither left nor right did the host approaches catch on.
Most of the first period was unemotional in the areas. Plaza Colonia only saw Viera’s face in a couple of still balls, his great offensive bet in the middle of his ultra-conservative approach. The typical Uruguayan formula.
Junior, in the throes of the first half, It came in a good collective action without a happy ending because Borja’s shot was blocked by the tangle of Plaza’s legs. Also with a sharp pass from Leonardo Pico that Hinestroza homered.
In second period, Junior added a little more enthusiasm, just a little. It was not enough to subdue and overcome it. In the midst of the lack of junior ingenuity, the Plaza was encouraged to come out a little more from its burrow, but there his offensive flaws began to become evident. They failed to make more than five passes in a row and in the passing game, which seemed to be their only path to a surprise, Rosero and Mera were successful in both areas. The former almost scored with a header that hit the crossbar.
The entrance of Edwuin Cetré gave the attack more spice. The attacker searched for several dangerous fouls that later did not find good collectors. In the final stretch, Carmelo Valencia and Didier Moreno had options to score, but they were completely unwise. Luckily the rival was meek.
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