28 days later, the champion was unable to celebrate at home. With a shirt inflated with pride after having survived the drama of their current League title, Millonarios returned to El Campín tonight to play their first home game in the second semester tournament. And, contrary to what the more than 20,000 fans who arrived at the stadium expected, he could not do it with a victory. In the midst of his inability to generate clear options, Millonarios ended up drawing goalless against Deportivo Pereira.
Millonarios does not go beyond a draw on his return to El Campín
With Andrés Llinás out due to injury, Millionaires took the court with his best once available. During the first half, in a tactical battle, the players were pieces of a board in which Millionaires caused the greatest sense of danger. At minute 29, Leonardo Castro took advantage of a false rebound from Aldair Quintana, but the ball went wide. Just over 90 seconds later, the Pereira goalkeeper frustrated the most emotional of the first half: a header from defender Jorge Arias, after a corner kick from Daniel Cataño. Just risks.
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In the second half, the script is repeated. Millionaires, with will but without ideas, tried to impose the rhythm of the game, and Pereira stood solidly. In fact, at the start of the complementary part, the visitor had the closest approaches, with two shots from outside the area, one by Juan Pablo Zuluaga and another by Larry Angulo.
Alberto Gamero, DT of Millos, tried to recompose his team’s attack by taking out Leonardo Castro and Jader Valencia to give entry to Fernando Uribe and Beckham David Castro, around minute 68. However, the variants were not effective and Millonarios ended up reaching minute 85 without even shooting directly at Quintana’s goal. Pereira, manager of the Bogotá nerves, was more in the opposite field, but he did not prefer to do damage either.
In the epilogue, Fernando Uribe led the last push of Millonarios to avoid a tie, but clarity was not his friend either. The final silence of the public in El Campin was the best portrait of the lack of inventiveness on the pitch.
This was Millonarios’ second goalless draw in the tournament, after the same result eight days ago against Deportivo Pasto.
Now the squad of Millos will travel to Illinois (United States) to play a sui generis friendly against Crystal Palace on Wednesdayfrom England, who beat Watford 2-1 this Saturday, in another warm-up match.
The champion’s return to the League will be next Saturday, with his visit to Alianza Petrolera, which tied the only match he has played in the current tournament, without goals, against Deportivo Pasto.
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