Junior will return to Barranquilla after the elimination from the Conmebol Libertadores. They will host Santa Fe on Sunday, September 1 at 19:20.
Why the match in date 8 is important
The shark played two away matches after their exit in the round of 16 of the Cup and distanced themselves from the perception of frustration held by their fans. That defeat against Colo Colo at the Metropolitano Stadium was a heavy blow as the plan was to advance at least one more round.
They won against Tolima in Ibagué, but faced another setback with the loss against Pasto in Nariño.
“We made bad decisions in the match,” acknowledged coach Arturo Reyes. “We made many passes between us that are not normal for us,” he added.
The cardenal team was eliminated from the Copa Colombia after losing 3-1 against Bucaramanga, where they were outplayed both in midfield and defense. Next Sunday, they will again be playing as visitors.
“I’m hurt by the defeat. They played better than us, we must recognize that,” said their coach Pablo Peirano.
Players to watch in Junior vs Santa Fe
Junior will return to field their starting lineup. They rotated against the Nariñense team and the substitutes did not meet expectations. Having their top scorer Carlos Bacca back motivates him to reconcile with the fans.
On the Bogotá side, goalkeeper Andrés Mosquera is performing at a high level. His saves secured victory against Cali in Palmaseca in the previous league match.
How the teams arrive
The home team is seventh with 11 points. The continuity of the coach is defined in each match, and another loss or a draw could complicate matters. The performance is also not convincing the fans. There is much to improve.
Santa Fe showed a different face against Bucaramanga in the Cup compared to their performance in the FPC. They surprised as they are fourth with 12 points, four behind the leader Once Caldas, and have two matches in hand. They will need to regain that level in Barranquilla.
The last encounter
It was a 3-0 thrashing by the cardenales on February 21 at El Campín. Agustín Rodríguez, Julián Millán, and Francisco Chaverra scored the goals.
When they play: date, time, and live TV
The match will be on Sunday, September 1 at 19:20 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla. It will be broadcast on WIN.