America was saved from losing by several goals in his last visit to Deportivo Independiente Medellin and is still within reach of the South American groups. The 'Diablos' of Cali will seek this Wednesday to reverse the partial 2-1 of the series.
The final match between Cali Reds and Paisas will start at 7:30pm local (00h30 GMT on Thursday), at the Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali.
America's fans place their hopes on veteran attacker Adrián Ramos. Former Borussia Dortmund scored America's only goal in the first leg, before being replaced and receiving ovation from the rival tribune.
For its part, the 'DIM' still laments the penalty wasted in the first leg, which could have set the way to the next round of the continent's second club tournament.
“We had the possibility of a longer result that would have been more effective for us, but, well, we have to go to Cali to endorse” the victory, released the Uruguayan coach of Medellín, Julio Comesaña, runner-up of the South American in 2018 with Junior.
-Osorio, to the test-
The scarlet tribune runs out of patience with the experienced DT Juan Carlos Osorio. The former Mexico coach is about to celebrate his year on the bench of America without showing titles or good play.
But the Colombian still has one year left in his contract with the three-time Libertadores runner-up and, for now, he is celebrating recovering two injured people.
“We are excited to be able to count on Deiner (Quiñones) and Daniel Hernández believe that both can give us very good entries (...) one with driving and the other with a pass to improve our goal options,” he told the media prior to the duel.
If America wins by a goal, the series will go to penalties, but Osorio downplays that scenario: “We have to work all the balls still including penalties, but not thinking that we are going to get to that point.”
- No debts -
The Argentine attacker Luciano Pons arrived in Medellin at the beginning of the year and seduced the fans of 'El Poderoso' with 7 goals in his first 10 matches.
The romance met the first turbulence in the first leg of the series, when the former Banfield missed a penalty in the final stretch of the match.
Questioned about the wasted chances at home, Comesaña came to the defense of his players: “It seems that we are in debt. For me, no one was left in debt. I'm happy with what Medellin played in 90 minutes.”
To hold the slightest advantage, the fans Paisa hopes to have the talented left-handed steering wheel Andrés Ricaurte, absent from the first leg due to lack of “rhythm”, but who could have minutes again in Cali.
Probable lineups:
America: Joel Graterol - Elvis Mosquera, John Garcia, Jorge Segura, Yaliston Martinez - Larry Angulo, Juan Camilo Portilla, Carlos Sierra - Adrian Ramos, Iago Falque, Alejandro Quintana. DT Juan Carlos Osorio.
Independent Medellin: Andrés Felipe Mosquera - Juan Guillermo Arboleda, Victor Moreno, Andres Cadavid, German Gutierrez - Juan Mosquera, David Loaiza, Adrian Arregui, Vladimir Hernandez- Jean Pineda, Luciano Pons. DT: Julio Avelino Comesaña.
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