March 10, 2023
With a late decision by Motty’s Mic to cover a Friday game from Nicaragua, it was also an opportunity for Fatbear to watch and listen……….
Sebaco have been featured in these diaries before, when known as H&H Export Sebaco they had been humiliated 0-8 at Diriangen just when they were on course to qualify for the 2021/22 Clausura play-offs. Since then, the sponsorship with the local coffee firm has ended and so they have reverted back to a more basic name.
Sebaco play in the city of Matagalpa, which has a population of just over 100,000 and is the 7th largest city in Nicaragua. It is apparently very popular with eco-tourists, with many nature hikes and walks nearby, and an eternal spring like weather ( whatever that is ! ). Located around 130km north of the capital Managua in the centre of the country, the journey by road apparently takes 2 and a half hours.
Their Estadio Municipal de Matagalpa looks to be smartly appointed, with an impressive all-seater stand along one side of the ground, and an open terrace behind one goal, but the rest of the stadium is still to be completed. It has an artificial grass pitch.
Today was a match-up between 6th vs 8th in the 10 team Clausura. Sebaco started the day with a terrible 1-0-4 home record although they did beat ART Jalapa 2-0 in their most recent home fixture. Juventus, from the capital Managua, had a marginally better away record at 1-1-3, although the one victory was a notable 3-0 triumph over Walter Ferretti.
When these two sides met in the reverse Clausura fixture it finished 1-1 in Managua, and when Juventus last visited Matagalpa to play Sebaco in the 2021/22 Clausura in July 2022 it ended 0-0.
In the 2022/23 Apertura Sebaco finished in 4th place, with Juventus back in 6th. However, both sides were hammered in the quarter-finals as Real Esteli went on to beat Walter Ferretti on penalties in the final after it had finished 4-4 on aggregate.
Surprisingly, Bet365.com offered no odds on this fixture, which is usually an indication of some unusual betting patterns. In any case, the weather at the kick-off at the 15.00 local time was partly cloudy, with the temperature around 28 degrees. The match was being streamed live on YouTube on the Liga Primera channel.
Rather than playing in black and white stripes, Juventus were in an all blue kit with narrow red, white and blue bands across the front of their shirts, which if anything made them look more like Sampdoria ! Sebaco were wearing white shirts with green shorts. Female referee Tatiana Guzman was in charge of the game.
Ex-International striker Luis Galeano ( 32 caps and 5 goals ) is one of the key players for Sebaco, having scored 26 goals in the consolidated 2021/22 season and 15 so far in the Apertura and Clausura combined. Sebaco’s other play to watch was Honduras born winger Brayan Zuniga who is now qualified to play for Nicaragua if selected. Argentine born midfielder Miguel Pucharela is also now naturalised and qualified for Nicaragua. Defensive midfielder/centre-back Ulises Pozo won 3 caps for Nicaragua.
For Juventus centre-back Luis Vanegas and strikers David Castrillon and Duver Quinones come from Colombia, and midfielder Vinicius de Souza and defender Rafael Vieira are Brazilian. Forward Adrian Chavarria was called up for the Nicaragua squad for a friendly against El Salvador last November, but didn’t play.
The game exploded into life almost from the beginning as Zuniga cut in from the right-wing to set up a shot on his left-foot, and his 20-yard effort struck the base of the post and then hit defender Vanegas on the arm. The referee decided this was handball and awarded a spot-kick, which looked a little harsh. Galeano took responsibility and although keeper Gonzalez got a hand to the side-footed penalty, he was unable to prevent it from crossing the line, to give the home side the lead after two minutes.
Zuniga was looking lively and shortly afterwards his left footed shot went over the bar. Juventus came close in the 12th minute when De Souza headed a free-kick from Corea just wide. Sebaco though continued to hold the upper hand and Pucharela’s 20 yard volley was punched high into the air by Gonzalez, who then leapt to catch the loose ball.
Zuniga swung in a dangerous corner that was missed by everyone, but Sebaco doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Again Zuniga cut in from the right but this time his left footed drive was on target, but keeper Gonzalez couldn’t hang on to the ball and Miguel Morales was on hand to put the rebound into the empty net.
Sebaco should have made it 3-0 three minutes later but inexplicably left wing-back Wiston Herrera decided to try and head a low bouncing cross from Zuniga rather than side-footed into the empty at the back post, but his diving header from 6 yards went over the bar.
Juventus took advantage of this extraordinary let-off and against the run of play Vinicius de Souza received a pass on the edge of the Sebaco area from Castrillon, turned and let fly, and the ball nestled in the opposite corner off the post for a fine goal to reduce the deficit in the 32nd minute.
Juventus then enjoyed a good spell of pressure. Castrillon sent a 30 yarder well over before Espana went to ground after a slight touch on the shoulder by Herrera and the referee awarded another soft penalty. De Souza stepped up but his spot-kick lacked conviction and keeper Espinoza was able to make the block, and then bravely saved again at the feet of the Brazilian as he attempted to score from the rebound.
Juventus were made to pay for that miss in the 41st minute as Zuniga claimed his third assist of the day, skipping past Espana to get to the by-line and his ball across the face of the goal presented a tap-in for Pozo.
Juventus had already been forced to make one change in the first half, and made another at the interval in an attempt to get back into the match. The change seemed to do the trick as three minutes into the second period a flowing move involving De Souza, Ordonez and Castrillon put Luis Gaitan clear to finish in the style of Carlos Alberto in the 1970 World Cup Final.
Juventus then levelled the match by the 54th minute. Herrera’s poor day continued as his attempted header back to his keeper was weak and intercepted by Hernandez, who was clattered into by keeper Espinoza. This time it was an obvious penalty, and Castrillon, taking over the duties from 12 yards, side footed to the keeper’s right hand and into the net. The unfortunate Herrera was replaced shortly afterwards.
Parity didn’t last for long though, as Sebaco produced their best passing move to retake the lead in the 64th minute. Pucharela and Galeano twice exchanged first time passes to give Galeano a sight of the goal, and the veteran’s first time left-footed effort on the run from 12 yards found the corner giving the keeper no chance.
The game was end to end as both sides went looking for another goal. Galeano headed a corner wide from 8 yards and Zuniga sent a free-kick into the defensive wall, whilst for Juventus a free-kick from Mora was missed by two attackers and pushed away by keeper Espinoza.
The game lost some of its impetus as both sides made more substitutions. However, Sebaco substitute Rivera put a good chance over the bar and Pucharela went over in the area after a challenge from Mora but this time no penalty was given.
With two minutes left to play there was some head tennis in the Sebaco area, but the home side were eventually able to clear. As Juventus pushed forward in added on time they left gaps at the back but Zuniga’s attempt was pushed away by the diving keeper.
In the end, Sebaco held on quite comfortably to take the three points and in Brayan Zuniga, they had the game’s outstanding player.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtB-kqWu-zU
Sport Club Sebaco : Espinoza – Rondina, Pozo, Herrera ( Castro ), Figueroa, Padilla – Pucharela, Morales ( Pastran ), W. Herrera ( Masis ) – Galeano ( Rivera ), Zuniga
Juventus Managua FC : Gonzalez – Mora, Vanegas, Gaitan, Vieira – Ordonez ( Peralta ), De Souza ( Quinones ), Aragon ( Downs ), Corea ( Hernandez ) Espana ( Chavarria ) - Castrillon
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