On Saturday night, Atletico Nacional and América de Cali met at the Atanasio Girardot stadium, the so-called “Colombian Football Classic” was played in the quarter-finals of the BetPlay Dimayor League. Atlético Nacional played with a 4-2-3-1 in the first half and tried to dominate with offensive possessions. In defensive phase was formed in a 4-4-1-1, where the wingers are located as wide midfielders and Andrade played like a striker. After Murillo’s red card, Nacional went on to play a 3-1-2-3. While his rival played a 4-5-1 to look for transitions.
Atlético Nacional had 61% of ball possession and was able to transform that dominance into great opportunities. They were not efficient when facing Graterol and were completely open for defensive transitions. Pace of opposition attackers was the key of the game, especially on the right side of the defense where Vergara faced the newcomer Ewil Murillo and became one of the men of the match for America.
It’s been a game where lacked efficiency by Atletico Nacional and more attitude, in addition to having very questionable arbitration decisions.
Ratings:
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be a strong player at level
- C – Average for their level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Sebastián Guerra
- Nationality: Colombia
- Age: 19
- Date of Birth: 8/01/2001
- Club: Atlético Nacional
- Career: Atlético Nacional
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Preferred foot: Right
Sebastian was a young man who was forced to debut for Atletico Nacional due to the explosion of COVID cases of the club. He has good control technique and stands out in short and progressive passes, but he will have to refine his long passes.
He is a goalkeeper for his technical characteristics, with great space-time management, with good air play and increasingly better conditions to play with his feet. He is a good penalty stopper. It has a good presence in the bow, a remarkable leadership
In the first few minutes, he was already organizing the defense in the different free throws and corner shots of the rival. Sebastian showed that he is good with the feet and has the DNA of Atletico Nacional’ keepers; playing like a stopper who can help the keeper to be attentive to the balls that go to the back of their defenders.
In the penalty that America had in the first half, He read where the shot was going and forced the striker to adjust his shot, which caused Cabrera to miss the penalty. In the third goal (penalty) he rushed out and technically went wrong( with his feet ahead).
Despite receiving three goals in the goal and being anxious in each of them, the Antioquia goalkeeper showed great security and personality in what was his debut with the professional team. A home-grown player with an enormous talent that will surely be important in 2021.
Rating: B2
He has a great future and I would like to reach him the next season where it will surely fight the position with Aldair Quintana, goalkeeper of the Colombian national team. Atletico Nacional considers him the next gem of the club and is following the same steps as David Ospina. He is part of the group from which will come the chosen coach Arturo Reyes for the South American U20 Tournament in 2021.
Ewil Murillo
- Nationality: Colombia
- Age: 20
- Date of Birth: 21-07-2000
- Club: Atlético Nacional
- Career: Atlético Nacional
- Position: Attacking Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Ewil Murillo is a midfielder with great crossing technique, but in the defensive phase he has some weaknesses. He was forced to play at right back because the explosion of COVID cases in the team. His opponent was Duvan Vergara; best player of the league this year. Ewil was very fast and powerful in the first minutes. Even if he has potential for play as right back, he has still things to improve. Murillo was at a disadvantage, as a young player that doesn’t play as right back. He struggled when his opponent exploited his pace. He had a couple of erratic exits, leaving spaces that the opponent exploded, the first goal was for his field side because in defensive transitions, he usually returns slowly and leaves his sector uncovered.
He was a defender that doesn’t go permanently to the attack. He used his body very well to win defensive duels at times, he committed unnecessary fouls when the opponent plays with his back to the goal and during this match, this was the only way to control Duvan. Offensively, he can become a fast player who can do the whole right side.
He was sent off the game in the first half with a wrong interpretation of the game by the referee and the VAR.
Rating: C
I’d like to see him again, but playing in his position. He was already on loan in Portugal but returned to Atletico Nacional with the approval of coach Juan Carlo Osorio, who had a good impression of him. A good prospect for the future. When he uses to play as midfield, he is very good in physical deployment, a lot of dynamics.
Agustín Cano
- Nationality: Colombia
- Age: 19
- Date of Birth: 08-06-2001
- Club: Atlético Nacional
- Career: Atlético Nacional
- Position: Attacking Midfield
- Preferred foot: Left
In defence, he occupied the position of defensive midfielder in a duo with Baldomero Perlaza forming a 4-4-1-1. He is applied at a tactical level, and does everything the manager asks him to do. He had a bad game in the defeat of his team. He played in a position where he was tasked to mark his opponent, a function that he does not like to have that much. Cano was seen fearful, slow and wandering in his passes, defending was overcome very easily. However, it was just his first game and it is a talent of the quarry that must continue to accompany.
On organisation of the team, he gave short but safe passes. He has a high percentage in passing accuracy, but these are generally not long or progressive passes. In the first minutes, he tried to connect with Jarlan Barrera but the speed of his passes were not good enough to break lines of America midfielders. He has great calmness to play the ball in difficult moments but In this match, he lost several balls that caused transitions of the rival. Probably for being his first professional game, he felt the normal nervousness in 19-year-old player. After minute 25, he was unable to find Jarlan or the team’s offensive wings.
On some occasions he played as a defensive midfielder to give the team a good ball move and manage the midfielder but lacked aggressiveness in the recovery of the ball and be more consistent in the search for the ball. Lost confidence in the course of the match Which caused the team to lack depth and the offensive midfielder Barrera had to abandon his position to help the team advance to the rival side. He was replaced in the 69th minute by another young player; Yair Mena.
Rating: C
Agustín Canon is a midfielder of Atletico Nacional, left-footed and he has a very good technique, game intelligence and vision. In its beginnings, he played as winger but today what it most enjoys is the assembly, the pass, the pause and the round trip through the central lanes, an interior projection. He is already playing in the Colombian national team sub20.
Yair Mena
- Nationality: Colombia
- Age: 20
- Date of Birth: 28/06/2000
- Club: Atlético Nacional
- Career: Atlético Nacional
- Position: Right Wing
- Preferred foot: Right
On his first games with Juan Carlos Osorio, he failed to really impress on me, especially in the Copa Sudamericana match against River Plate when he entered into the game. The winger showed some potential in last game against America de Cali and showed me why Osorio had his with the professional team and gave him some games in the league.
Mena is quick and a technical player on the first meters, whichhelps him to get past players when he is in the 1v1 duel on the wing, but he should work on his decision-making which can hinder him in the future. Playing on the right side, he showed good off the ball movement when he sprinted into the half-space between the America left back and the centre back.
He played 21 minutes, but he was the only offensive player who tried to attack America’s defense. On several occasions he past the America left back, but did not find receivers in the area because Atlético Nacional did not have a center forward who could finish his crosses.
Rating: B2
But I was impressed with him in this match. However, I wanted to reach him the next season. Another young man to consider for next year. I hope the next manager could give him some gametime because he has a great potential for the club.
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