Atlético Nacional visits this Wednesday, from 8:15 p.m. to Junior de Barranquilla, for the second date in League II-2022. After drawing with Cortuluá, the champion will seek in the Metropolitano, to recover the lost points against a needy eleventh ‘shark’ that comes from losing in Tunja against Patriotas.
Under the command of Hernán Darío Herrera, the Purslane want to return to the winning path in this new championship. With the base of the team that crowned the star 17, the ‘Arriero’ wants to repeat the League title.
“We are going to face a complicated Junior, difficult in Barranquilla. We have the entire squad available and it is the one that goes to Barranquilla, we have the desire to win against a difficult rival. The team came well, they took care of themselves and are in perfect condition We know that we are going to have very difficult games and I cannot save anything, the entire base team is going. I have players who will be responsible for facing this string of games,” explained the Antioquian coach.
On the inclusion of Pedro Sarmiento in the coaching staff, Herrera commented that “Professor Sarmiento, for a long time I had the possibility of bringing him. He has great conditions, you have to walk with winning people and he is a winner. I was with him for a large part of the Last semester, we are family and the group received him well. Pedro Sarmiento began his sports career at Nacional, even though he directed Medellín”.
Finally, the coach indicated that “there are no new reinforcements, but I have no problem because I have a full squad.”
For his part, Ruyery Blanco commented that “we know that Junior is a team with good players, they lost on the first date and they have the obligation to go all out at home. We have a string of matches and we must face them in the best way”.
In addition, “playing at Nacional is not easy, there is great pressure and we want to do things well. I couldn’t score yesterday, but I don’t despair, I keep working and I hope the goal comes again. I work for the team offensively and defensively.”
Personally, “there were rumors that strikers were arriving, but in the end they are giving Jefferson Duque, Tomás Ángel and me their confidence. We hope to reciprocate and that we are the team’s top scorers.”
Data between Junior and Atlético Nacional
For the Colombian League, Junior and Nacional met 250 times, with 77 wins for the Barranquilleros, compared to 95 for the Purslane. 78 games ended tied. In terms of goals, the Caribbean celebrated 275 times and the Antioquians 298.
Atlético Nacional accumulates eight games without losing to Junior in the First Division (four wins, four draws), since a last victory for those from Barranquilla in November 2019: 2-0 at home.
Junior lost only one of his last 22 home games in the First Division (16 wins, five draws), after losing in May against Jaguares de Córdoba (2-4). During this interval, the Barranquilla team remained without scoring in only one of those 22 duels (0-0 vs Deportes Quindío in October 2021).
Atlético Nacional tied against Cortuluá in its debut in this League II-2022 (1-1), but since the League I-2014 (one draw, one loss) they have not stopped winning in their first two games of a tournament in the category .
Junior has accumulated 18 games scoring at home in the First Division (13 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss), the longest active streak in the highest category scoring at home.
Atlético Nacional placed the starting eleven with the lowest average age on the first day of Liga II-2022 (22 years and 74 days).
Junior’s last victory over Nacional was in Liga II-2019, on November 20. The score was 2-0 with a double by Teófilo Gutiérrez. While Nacional’s last victory over Junior was on June 15, 2022, for the sixth date of the semifinal home runs, the greens prevailed with goals from Jefferson Duque and Jhon Duque, Fredy Hinestroza scored for the rojiblanco team.
The top scorer in this duel between sharks and purslane is Víctor Hugo Aristizábal, with 15 goals, followed by Iván René Valenciano who has 12 goals.
Since the semi-annual tournaments were played in 2002, they met in 63 games, in which Nacional triumphed 26 times, Junior 18 and tied 19 times. The Antioquians conquered the net 88 times and their rival did it 58 times.
When this duel was presented between Nacional and Junior they faced each other in a first semi-final home run in Barranquilla, one of the two was later champion: Junior achieved the star in 1993 and I-2019 and Atlético Nacional in 1991, 1999 and I-2022.
likely alignment
National Athletic: Kevin Mier; Yerson Candelo, Emmanuel Olivera, John David Cabal, Danovis Banguero; Sebastian Gomez, Jhon Duke, Andrew Andrade; Dorlan Pabon, Daniel Blanket, Jefferson Duke.
DT: Hernán Darío Herrera.
Hour: 8:15 pm
Metropolitan Stadium.
Referee: Edison Ariza (Santander).
VAR: Jorge Guzmán (North).
T.V.: WIN Sports +.
Juan Camilo Alvarez Serrano
FUTBOLRED correspondent
Medellín
En Twitter: @juanchoserran8
