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Junior vs Once Caldas Report

Gregory Sica, December 19 2011,
Carlos Bacca converted two penalty kicks to lead Junior to a crucial comeback victory over Once Caldas in the first leg of the Colombian final on Sunday.
Junior are just a step away from winning the Colombian championship for the seventh time after coming from two goals down to defeat Once Caldas 3-2 in the first leg of the final in Barranquilla on Sunday.

Paraguayan midfielder Jorge Nunez scored twice in the 19th and 39th minutes to give the visitors a healthy advantage, but Junior rallied with two goals from striker Carlos Bacca in the 44th and 57th minutes, while midfielder Vladimir Hernandez scored their other goal in the 53rd minute.

Nunez put Once Caldas ahead with a well-executed free-kick, and it seemed that the side from Manizales would go into the break with a two-goal lead when the Paraguayan struck again. However, Bacca pulled a goal back for Junior when he converted a penalty kick on the stroke of half-time after Mauricio Casierra handled the ball in the area.

Junior scored twice in the space of four minutes to first draw level and then to go in front after goals from Hernandez and Bacca once more from the penalty spot. Junior have a history for overturning deficits.

In the semi-finals against Millonarios, Junior had overturned a 0-3 deficit from the first leg in Bogota with a 3-0 victory in the return leg in Barranquilla to force a penalty shootout, which they ended up winning.

The situation worsened for Once Caldas when Alexander Mejia was ejected in the 68th minute. Junior tried to take full advantage of their extra-man, but despite their pressure the visitors came closest to scoring when Nunez struck the woodwork six minutes from full-time.

The Colombian championship title decider will be staged at the Palogrande stadium in Manizales on Wednesday.

Junior vs Once Caldas

Date: Sunday, 18 Dec 2011
Time: 17:33 ( US/Eastern )
Competition: Colombia Copa Mustang
Live/Repeat: Live
Venue: Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez (Barranquilla)

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