Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Colombian Primera A match.
Both sides dropped points in round five, but Atlético Junior had already seen their chances of reaching the Apertura final disappear. Deportes Tolima surrendered top spot in the group to Independiente Medellín due to poor form.
Deportes Tolima
Deportes Tolima suffered a 1:2 defeat in a direct clash with Independiente Medellín, widening the gap between the two sides from five to eight points. Despite playing away, Deportes Tolima had previously taken four points from two away fixtures, so the venue was not considered a disadvantage. Their current third-place position is largely down to a poor home record—just one point from their last two home matches.
Atlético Junior
Atlético Junior have endured a dismal play-off campaign in the Apertura, collecting only one point from five matches. Interestingly, they finished the regular season above Deportes Tolima, closing in third. The only point came at home, while away from home they fell just short in both matches: 1:2 against América de Cali and 0:1 against Independiente Medellín.
Deportes Tolima vs Atlético Junior Prediction
There is little left to play for Atlético Junior, as they are locked into bottom place in the group. A single goal may well be enough for Deportes Tolima to claim all three points—a trend seen across other Group A fixtures. That is the basis for this prediction, and this could be their first home win of the final stage.
