Junior de Barranquilla secured a 2–0 victory against Deportivo Independiente Medellín on September 26, 2026, during the Liga BetPlay-II season at the Estadio Romelio Martínez.
Manager Sebastián Viera managed the squad without forward Luis Fernando Muriel, who remained sidelined due to a muscular injury.
Deportivo Independiente Medellín arrived in Barranquilla holding the fifth position in the table with 19 points after accumulating six victories, one draw, and two defeats in nine outings. Visiting manager Luis Amaranto Perea also had to adjust his lineup, operating without Juan Fernando Quintero due to an injury.
Decisive Second-Half Goals Secure Victory
The breakthrough arrived in the second half when Junior capitalized on attacking pressure. Teófilo Gutiérrez opened the scoring in the 74th minute by converting a penalty kick into the bottom left corner, following a foul on Guillermo Paiva inside the area by defender Kevin Mantilla, which was confirmed after a VAR review.
Four minutes later, Junior doubled its advantage in the 78th minute when Hayen Palacios inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, bringing the scoreline to 2–0. The match saw extensive stoppage time, with the fourth official announcing nine minutes of added time as both benches utilized substitutions, including the introduction of Yimmi Chará and Daniel Socarras for the hosts.
Tactical Changes and Late Pressure
Medellín attempted to mount a response through tactical changes, introducing players such as Yony González, Diego Moreno, and Luis Escorcia. Goalkeeper Eder Chaux and the visiting defense faced sustained pressure from Junior’s attack, which featured late attempts from Guillermo Paiva and Daniel Socarras.
Junior was forced into a late change when goalkeeper Jefersson Martínez replaced Mauro Silveira following an injury stoppage. Despite late corners and pressing from the visitors, Junior maintained its defensive structure through the nine minutes of added time to secure the clean sheet and the three points at the Estadio Romelio Martínez.
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