Group B Preview: The cold weather is not in their hearts

By: Lugo | May 24th, 2009

Group B features the 3 teams in this group stage that are from cold weather cities: Equidad (Bogotá), Once Caldas (Manizales) and Chicó (Tunja). The other one is Tolima from the very hot Ibagué. But whatever the weather is, i’m sure all this players will try to give their most in order to win.

Deportes Tolima Vs. Equidad Seguros

The Insurance men visit Ibagué on high spirits after being the only team from the capital to make it this far. Lead by short-sized creative genius Stalin Motta, they play adventurous attacking football relying heavily in their lack of pressure as they pretty much don’t have fans to answer to and the press expects them to lose. So their obligations are only to themselves, their manager and the board. As Envigado confirmed last night, these teams that play with nothing to lose can become pretty dangerous. On the other hand, Tolima is being labeled as the favourites to win this group based on their wonderful regular season campaign where they finished in first place. These are the probable lineups:

Tolima will have Breiner Castillo on goal, a permanent bench-warmer during his previous stints at Deportivo Cali and Nacional who finally found a team where he is the undisputed number one. Jair Arrechea and Wilmer Díaz will be the center backs, this is a duo that has player together at Deportivo Pasto before and Díaz counts among his successes winning Libertadores 2004 with Once Caldas. Gerardo Vallejo will be on the right back, this player has seen action with the national team whereas on the left Dario Bustos will handle matters. Bustos is the younger brother of Ruben Bustos, the scorer of two free kick goals for the national team in the qualifiers who is at Millonarios now. In the midfield, veteran Juan Carlos Ramirez will be the commanding voice from behind assisted by Gustavo Bolivar. In creative roles, Christian Camilo Marrugo a player who is highly regarded by the national team manager will join forces with Argentine maestro Rodrigo Marangoni, a very effective player in the free kicks and through balls departments. Up front, the speedy Franco Arizala will be together with Jorge Bocanegra, a youngster who fills the U-18 spot and is expected to be quickly subbed by Wilder Medina, a goalscorer who’s been on fire in the latest matches.

La Equidad will have Carlos Bejarano on goal. This young goalkeeper has been battling heavily with Alvaro Solis for the starting place and now seems to have won it. Victor Giraldo, one of the top prospects in the right back position in Colombia will be in such position. On the other side, Elkin Serrano. Panamanian defender Román Torres will help Juan Diego Gonzalez in the center of the defence. Torres seems like a big team type of player and the fact that he’s still at Equidad really baffles me. As for the midfield, former defender Hugo Soto will assist Jhersson Cordoba, another big big promise, in the holding duties. Creative duo Stalin Motta and Diego Cochas round up what seems to be a very offensive midfield scheme to face Tolima. Up front, Wilson Carpintero, the goalscoring sensation of late will partner Rodrigo Hernandez but only for a few minutes as Hernandez is an U-18 youngster who will most likely be replaced by Roberto Polo.

Once Caldas vs. Boyaca Chicó FC

Former Libertadores Champions Once Caldas start this postseason with an obligation to matc their former greatness. With goalscorer Johan “Condor” Fano in great form, they expect to build upon of the rock solid midfielder Johan Viafara, a circuit of service for Fano to capitalize on. But the visitors will try to break that circuit by using strong and ductile players like Edwin Movil and Yhonny Ramirez. These are the lineups:

On goal, Once Caldas will have Hector Landazuri, former youth nt keeper who has consolidated his place as a starter. The right wing will be in charge of Nondier Romero a player who has resurrected in his level after being unceremoniously ousted from América and Santa Fe. Luis Nuñez, a fixture in the starting side, will be on the left. The center will be for Alex Henriquez and Andrés Mosquera a duo that has found renewed confidence after several games playing together. Former Junior man Nicolas Torres will join Uruguayan leader Jorge Casanova and the aforementioned John Viafara in what seems like a defensive midfield in paper but boss Javier Alvrez knows how to turn them into offensive weapons. Candado, the U-18 youngster will quickly leave for Henry Rojas, a left winger to complete a midfield that demonstrates how in football you can survive without having a number ten. Up front, foreign duo Ariel Carreño and Johan Fano will attempt to catch many of the shower of crosses that will be surely flying on.

In front of them, Once Caldas will have Edigson Velazquez defending Chicó’s goal. This is a veteran keeper that has gathered so much praise nowadays that many journalists are even calling for his presence on the national team. I’m not that sold on him, tough. The wings will be manned by Pedro Pino on the right and utility man Juan Mahecha, a player who is good in any position he plays, on the left. Eternal Ever Palacios (42 years old) will join Mexican Mario García in the center of defence. Productive Yhonny Ramirez and hungry youngster Diego Chica will try to hold the midfield while Edwin Dayan Móvil will help Argentinian wizard Miguel Caneo in trying to get back to his former self. Winston Girón be partnered by U-18 youngster Luis Mena for a while but teen sensation Marco Pérez should not take long to enter the fray. This teams comes from a 3-6 away defeat against eliminated Real Cartagena so it will be interesting to see how can they pick themselves up from such debacle.

Yesterday’s results:

Atlético Junior 2 – 2 Deportivo Cali

Cucuta Deportivo 1-1 Envigado F.C.

I will be talking more in depth about all weekend’s fixtures tomorrow. And, for all you Spanish speakers allow me to invite you to check out my new Spanish blog about international football here. My next post there will be about the relegation of Newcastle United, the team where former colombian NT icon Faustino Asprilla shone in the Premier League.

Equidad doing a funny celebration.