Independiente Medellin drew 0-0 with Atletico Junior and Independiente Santa Fe won 1-2 at Deportes Tolima to remain on course for a spot in the final of the 2009 Copa Mustang II.
Both Medellin and Junior had won their opening match, and the winner of Wednesday’s game at Atanasio Girardot would be a big step closer to the final.
The only highlight in the game however, was a red card to Junior’s John Jaramillo in the 67th minute.
Both sides now have four points in Group A, but Medellin lead thanks to the ‘invisible point’, earned by finishing first in the regular season.
In the other Group A match, Real Cartagena earned their first points thanks to a 2-1 victory over Pereira, who remain at the bottom of the group.
Fernando Uribe put Pereira ahead after just three minutes, but an own goal from Jose Ramirez leveled the score seven minutes later. The winning goal came from Nestor Salazar in the 83rd minute.
In Group B, Bogota side Santa Fe earned a vital 1-2 victory at Deportes Tolima, who had taken the lead through Jorge Perlaza in the 58th minute.
Santa Fe reacted well and were handed a penalty in the 64th minute. Argentinian Omar Perez, who had also converted spot kicks in Santa Fe’s previous two games, again found the target for 1-1.
And with seven minutes left at Manuel Murillo Toro stadium, Perez went on to make it 1-2. At this point, Tolima’s Dario Bustos and Santa Fe’s Maximiliano Flotto had already been sent off.
Atletico Huila kept hope alive with a 1-0 win over Atletico Nacional, with Carlos Renteria scoring the only goal after 70 minutes.
Santa Fe, who also have the ‘invisible point’ as Group B heads, have six points from two games followed by Nacional and Huila who both have three. Tolima’s chances of reaching the final are few, as the Ibague outfit have no points so far.
Meanwhile, Cortulua are close to winning the 2009 Copa Premier following a 3-0 win over Atletico Bucaramanga in the first leg of the final.
John Jairo Castillo scored in the 35th and 42nd minutes, and Yonni Hinestroza added a third shortly after the break.
If Cortulua hold on to this lead in the second leg, they also secure promotion to Colombia’s top flight.
