COLOMBIA: LIGA POSTOBON Apertura – Week 16 Report

This article is courtesy of COLO FUTBOL

After picking up points this past weekend Tolima, Santa Fe and Nacional are now guaranteed places in the semi-final stages of the Liga Postobon Apertura. With just two weeks left in the Apertura regular fixtures five more places are still up for grabs.

The new leaders at the top of the Colombia Championship are Deportes Tolima after their 2-1 win over sixteenth placed Alianza Petrolera. The table toppers had to come back from behind after Luis Carabalí gave Petrolera the lead on the stroke of half-time. The on-fire Charles Monsalvo hit a second-half double including a spot-kick five minutes from the final whistle to settle the three points.

Second placed Santa Fe dropped from top spot after being held away to Deportivo Pasto with aboth team scoring a goal apiece. Danilo Moreno Asprilla opened the scoring but Fausto Salazar Obeso equalised to spoil Wilson Gutiérrez’s side chances of topping the league.

After falling behind twice in the game, Atletico Nacional came back and defeated Boyacá Chicó 3-2 on Saturday night and are well placed into third while Boyaca linger in fourteenth. Diego Chica gave Chico the lead with a well hit strike after 21 minutes with Nacional’s Alejandro Bernal scoring the leveller just before the break. Some terrible marking lead to defender Juan Galicia regaining the lead on 56 minutes however substitute striker Jefferson Duque and Wilder Guisao grabbed the win for the visitors late in the game. If Nacional could sort their defence out they could prove to be a real force in the Clasura this year.

Millionarios hosted Junior in Sunday’s big game and came out big 3-0 winners, thanks to goals from Fredy Montero, Erik Moreno and an unlucky own goal by Luis Narváez. Millos sit on 25 points in fifth but Junior look to be dropping out of the running for the semi-finals sitting in tenth, three points adrift of the top eight. It is a shame since Junior had put a tremendous run together in recent weeks with Edinson Toloza and Dayro Moreno leading the line for the Barranquilla side.

Itagui sit in fourth with a great 2-1 win away to Once Caldas on late Sunday night. Caldas went in front after just quarter of an hour from a Sergio Romero goal but two first half goals from Nelson Barahona and Victor Cortes gave the away side the victory. Caldas are in danger of dropping out of the top eight with Cucuta and Junior just below breathing down their necks.

With just eleven points and in 17th in the league standings, Deportes Quindío defeated Envigado 1-0 in only their second win of the campaign on Saturday evening. 22-year-old midfielder Aldair Murillo scored the solitary goal of the game. Quindío have just scored 12 goals in their 16 games this season and were rooted bottom of the league last weekend, but have leapfrogged Patriotas with this rare victory. Envigado currently placed in 15th on sixteen points.

In a mid-table battle, Cucuta missed a chance to climb into the top eight being held at home 1-1 againstAtletico Huila. Two goals late in the second half meant the points were shared, Dario Bustos scored for the home side and two minutes later Venezuelan striker Armando Maita grabbed the equaliser.

Deportivo Cali were held also away to La Equidad as they could have been up to fifth with a win. Cali fans were shocked when Equidad striker Jose Moreno Mora scored on 68 minutes but within five minutes the game was tied in style. In what is quickly becoming his trademark, Vladimir Marin hit a free-kick from around 40 yards out straight past Cristian Pinzón in the Equidad goal.

Patriotas Boyaca are still without a win and have now dropped to the depths of the league with a 2-1 defeat away to Medellín. The hosts had the on-fire Germán Cano firing on all cylinders again scoring a double while a Silvio González spot-kick proved to be just a consolation for Patriotas.

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FULL RESULTS

Saturday 18th May 2013

Envigado 0-1 Deportes Quindío

Cucuta Deportivo 1-1 Atletico Huila

La Equidad 1-1 Deportivo Cali

Boyacá Chico 2-3 Atletico Nacional

Sunday 19th May 2013

Deportes Tolima 2-1 Alianza Petrolera

Millonarios 3-0 Junior

Medellin 2-1 Patriotas Boyacá

Once Caldas 1-2 Itagui