Deportivo Independiente Medellín and América de Cali face each other this Wednesday, in the capital of Antioquia, in a game that marks the return to the Copa Sudamericana of Julio Comesaña and Juan Carlos Osorio, technical finalists of the continental competition in 2018 and 2014, respectively.
DIM returns to the tournament after four years and seeks to overcome its best performance, in 2016, when it reached the quarterfinals: on that occasion it was eliminated by Cerro Porteño. For its part, America will have its third participation; the most recent, in 2018.
clash of reds
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Dimayor – Vizzor Image
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In charge of the DIM is the Colombian-Uruguayan Julio Comesaña, responsible for taking Junior to the grand final of the tournament in 2018 against Atlético Paranaense, who won the title on penalties. Now, he will seek glory with the ‘Powerful’, an extraordinary local, but which he must stabilize after losing the classic with Atlético Nacional 2-0 in the local championship, in which he is sixth with 15 points.
“An international tournament is coming up. We have to give it our all. We have to be up to the task if we want to go far. We trust Professor Comesaña’s work; I know it will go very well for us”expressed the captain Andrés Cadavid.
To experience the first duel between reds in the South American, Medellín is waiting for the return of midfielder Andrés Ricaurte, who was discharged after overcoming a muscle injury. This match will feature Argentine midfielder Adrián Arregui and his compatriot Luciano Pons, current top scorer in the Colombian tournament with seven goals.
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For its part, América de Cali arrives strengthened by the 0-1 victory against Deportivo Cali, with nine players, in the classics day. This result created a positive atmosphere ahead of the international tournament debut.
“The key against the DIM is very important for our sports project,” said Osorio, adding that they will give “one hundred percent because not only is (important) sports, but economics.”
Osorio, former coach of Mexico and Paraguay, lived through a South American final in 2014 when he directed Atlético Nacional. He fell 3-1 on aggregate to River Plate, at the start of the Marcelo Gallardo era.
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The ‘Red Devils’ will possibly have defender E. Moreno, while for prevention the wingers Esneyder Mena and Déinner Quiñones will not be present, whom they will wait for the return leg, as well as midfielder Daniel Hernández. Venezuelan goalkeeper Joel Graterol and Spanish midfielder Iago Falque are projected as starters. The second leg will be next March 16 at the Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali.
Likely lineups
Medellin: Andres Mosquera Marmolejo; Juan David Mosquera, Víctor Moreno, Andrés Cadavid, Germán Gutiérrez; David Loaiza, Adrian Arregui; Felipe Pardo, Vladimir Hernandez, Jean Pineda; Luciano Pons. Coach: Julio Comesaña.
America: Joel Graterol; Elvis Mosquera, John Garcia, Jorge Segura, Yaliston Martinez; Juan Portilla, Larry Angulo, Carlos Sierra; Iago Falque; Alejandro Quintana and Adrian Ramos. Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio Referee: Brazilian Flavio de Souza, assisted by his compatriots Neuza Back, Kleber Gil and Rodolpho Toski.
Stadium: Atanasio Girardot, from Medellin.
Hour: 7:30 P.M.
TV: ‘Directv Sports’
SPORTS
*With Eph
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