Deportes Tolima took a point from Tunja to remain in first position in the BetPlay 2024-l League. David González, who opted for an alternate roster thinking about his Copa Sudamericana match in midweek, achieved a good result against a Boyacá Chicó team that had several chances to win, but in the end could not achieve it.
First half without goals
The first half was much more contested in the midfield and had few clear scoring options. Chicó came out to propose and took possession of the ball looking for the rival area, but he could not find ideas or precision to try to break the defensive line that Tolima posed from the middle of the field.
The Tolimenses, for their part, continued to bet on their idea by giving the ball to the rival, but maintaining their forward lines with the aim of recovering possession in the opposite field and later exploiting their game on the wings, thanks to this they found a good approach with Facundo Boné at 35′, who in the area sent a cross that passed very close to the right corner.
Chicó ties in the last minute
In the second half Chicó maintained the initiative and the idea, once again pressing high and trying to take advantage of the spaces left by his rival in defense, finding good options to score the first goal of the match. Michael Gómez received a pass from the right and tried it in the area, but his shot went wide.
Subsequently, the Boyacenses continued to dangerously approach the rival area by easily recovering the ball in the Tolima field, which was not comfortable at the start. Wilmar Cruz took advantage of this and in the 54th minute he took a powerful shot from mid-distance in the 54th minute that goalkeeper Juan Camilo Chaverra saved with great quality.
However, in Chicó’s best moment, the Tolimenses took the advantage. In an attacking action, David Murillo knocked down Boné in the area and although in the first instance the central defender followed the play, the VAR called him and after reviewing the action, declared a maximum penalty that the affected person himself was in charge of executing with great quality, after The goalkeeper guessed the shot, but in the end the ball ended up in the back of the net.
Despite having the score against, Chicó did not give up the attack and in the last minutes forced Tolima to defend closer and closer to their goal. Chaverra little by little became a figure by saving his team on multiple occasions, such as in the 84th minute when Cruz sent a cross to Gómez who was alone in front of the goalkeeper, but he did not define in the best way, missing a clear opportunity.
When everything seemed like Tolima would win in Tunja, Sebastián Tamara appeared in the 90th minute to score the tying goal. The midfielder received a through pass from Eduardo Banguero and after the mistake by Yilson Rosales who let the ball pass while trying to intercept it, with a great right foot he made his team celebrate.
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This result keeps Deportes Tolima in the first place with 21 points, which means they are getting closer to qualifying, something they will look for on the next date when they host Medellín. Chicó, for its part, remains at the bottom of the table with 9 units and on the next day they will visit Deportivo Pasto.
Changes
Michael Gomez (45′, Juan Pérez), Kevin Londono (45′, Geimer Balanta), Victor Perea Hinestroza (45′, Ángelo Peña), Victor Soto (62′, Rogerio Caicedo), Rafael Uzcategui (67′, Henry Plazas), Yilson Rosales (74′, Jeison Lucumí), William Dávila (74′, Eduardo Sosa), Jeinner Fuentes (77′, Leider Riascos), Daniel Riascos (95′, Luis Miranda)
Goals
0-1, 63′: Facundo Boné1-1, 89′: Sebastian Tamara
Cards
Referee: José Alexander Ortiz Novoa
VAR referee: Ricardo Andrés García Becerra, Liz Mair Suárez Tejada
Jeison Lucumi (24′, Yellow) Eduardo Sosa (25′, Yellow) Leider Riascos (46′, Yellow) David Murillo (60′,Yellow) Jeison Angulo (71′, Yellow) William Dávila (79′, Yellow) Juan Castano (84′, Yellow)