The Power of 8: Group B.

By: Lugo | May 22nd, 2008

Boyacá Chicó F.C.

City: Tunja

Regular season position: 2

Titles: 0

Best Players: Miguel Caneo, Victor Pacheco, Marcos Pérez

Strengths: Surprise of the season. After the financial semi-crisis when Pacheco traveled for a trial over in Canadá (not exactly next door), this team got back together and turned around the season in style kicking some major behind. It’s been so amazing, that the blend of offensive football and defensive seriousness has the media fallen all over for this team and dubbing it title candidate. I don’t trust those without the pedigree that much, but in Colombian football it certainly can happen.

Weaknesses: Such favouritism from the media can set the checkereds up for a monumental choke Mexican style (see: Atlas today). Only mental toughness can take them to the final. It will be interesting to see if they have it.

Independiente Medellin

City: Take a guess…

Regular season position: 4

Titles: 5

Best Players: Omar Perez, Diego Alvarez… But no one really “shines”

Strengths: The unpredictable. This team can paint anybody’s face (does that reference make any sense in English?) or it can suck monumentally. To be honest, I really don’t know how they gathered so much consistency because they qualified so safe but everytime I saw them, I didn’t enjoy watching them at all.

Weaknesses: Ditto what I just said. They can choke or they can pull an upset. It’s just 50-50.

Deportivo Cali

City: Duh!

Titles: 7

Regular season positon: 6

Best Players: Sergio Herrera, Paolo Frangipane, Freddy Montero

Strengths: Overall good squad loaded with players that have international experience.

Weaknesses: Perennial underachievers. This team fields ‘dream’ squads year after year and it ends up losing. But success eventually comes easier if you have good players, i guess.

Deportes Quindio

City: Armenia

Titles: 0

Regular season positon:8

Best Players: Ivan “champeta” Velazquez

Strengths: Ivan “champeta” Velazquez, who is a proven goalscorer.

Weaknesses: They qualified on goal difference and I don’t expect too much of them. In fact…

Yesterday’s results- Game 1:

Quindio 0×0 Medellin

Cali 2 x2 Chicó

Group A:

Envigado 2×0 Santa Fe