Millos'

Season 2012: (End of June 2012)

Liga Postobon Apetura Stage:

We started up with little to no cash surprisingly and thus had to dip into the free agency market to strengthen a squad that is pretty much average for the league. 3 Brazilians would come in; Irineu a centre back who had brief spells in Turkey and Portugal, Ricardo Conceicao a defensive midfielder best known for his spell at Ponte Preta and Arthuro a Striker down on his luck who once appeared on the Middlesbrough squad list back in the early part of the 00's.

With these signings and a couple of unknown Colombian additions we prepared for what would be a long first half to the season. Our aim, make the playoffs and to do that we need to come in the Top 8. We started well enough going 5 undefeated including a season opening win in the 'El Clásico con historia' 1-0 over Deportivo Cali, we didnt score many but conceded just the once to snuggle in nicely.

Then things turned for the worse, back to back defeats against Real Cartagena and Once Caldas (remember those names) followed up by a sloppy 0-0 at home to Cucuta left me wondering who could or would score the goals to get us success. We would win just 1 of our next 4 as successive 1-1 draws in the El Clásico de la rivalidad regional and El Clásico Capitalino against Atletico National and Santa Fe respectively kept us just in touch with the top 8 places.

It took a shock 2-1 loss at provincial Quindio to spark us into some life as 3 straight wins would squeeze us home, including an uncharacteristic 6-2 romp away at Envigado. We would wind up losing our final 2 regular stage games and finish up 7th.

Off to the playoffs we went and it would consist of 2 groups of 4, home and away games before the winners advanced to decide the Apetura Champion over another 2 legs. In our group we faced Once Caldas who topped the league stage, Real Cartagena who beat us twice already and Santa Fe.. our Capital city rivals.

We started brightly enough with a 2-0 win at home to Real Cartagena before losing at home to Once Caldas 1-3 and then in Cartagena 3-0. Somehow the team managed to spring into life with a 2-1 win in Caldas to keep our hopes alive, but that would mean winning both games against Santa Fe... we didnt, in the end a 0-2 loss at home and a 0-1 loss away condemned us to last in the group and a spot in front of the TV to see who would win the Apetura.

Copa Postobon:

The Colombian domestic Cup competition and interestingly enough we are the holders, something the success hungry Millos' fans are proud of. However my attempt to defend the crown wavered and in the end we have been borderline embarrasing. The first round consists of a group stage, 6 teams in the group... 10 games... (i know). Anyway we started out by losing Atletico National 2-0 before a 5-1 humbling at home by Sucre gave me nightmares (Sucre being a mid-table side in the 2nd Divison or Torneo Postobon as its known). We have managed 3 wins in the group, but a further 3-0 battering by Sucre finished our chances of a top 2 placing and with just 1 group game left as we enter the Clasura stage of the season, our Cup ambitions are well and truely over.

Rouding up Colombia:

Elsewhere in Colombia, the Apetura Champion was crowned as Real Cartagena collected their first ever domestic title with a 3-1 aggregate win over Atletico National. The Copa Posotbon is all set for a surprise winner as only 1 Liga Postobon team is guarenteed a place in the last 16 with 1 group game remaining, that being Real Cartagena. In contrast 4 Torneo Postobon teams are assured of a extended stay in the competition.

The only major transfer story so far out of Colombia was the transfer of 20 year old Jose Adolfo Valencia as Santa Fe cashed in on the U21 Striker as he moved to the MLS and Portland for a fee of just over $1 million.

Whilst the Managerial go around saw 5 Liga Postobon clubs change head man, most notably Junior who failed to defend their title as Jose Eugenio Hernandez paid the price to be replaced by former Colombian International Midfielder Leonel Alvarez. As well as this Once Caldas, heavily favoured to win the Apetura would terminate the deal of Luis Pompilio Paez early and bring in Diego Edison Umana, a man who has already won the Colombian Title with Junior and America de Cali, whilst losing his previous job in a failed stint with Peru's Juan Aurich.

Apetura Stage Tables:

| Pos   | Inf   | Team              |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   |       | Once Caldas       |       | 18    | 11    | 5     | 2     | 34    | 21    | +13   | 38    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | La Equidad        |       | 18    | 11    | 4     | 3     | 36    | 18    | +18   | 37    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   | C     | Real Cartagena    |       | 18    | 11    | 4     | 3     | 35    | 21    | +14   | 37    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Tolima            |       | 18    | 9     | 3     | 6     | 24    | 17    | +7    | 30    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Santa Fe          |       | 18    | 8     | 4     | 6     | 29    | 28    | +1    | 28    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Atlético Nacional |       | 18    | 7     | 7     | 4     | 29    | 19    | +10   | 28    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Millonarios       |       | 18    | 7     | 6     | 5     | 23    | 18    | +5    | 27    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Deportivo Cali    |       | 18    | 8     | 2     | 8     | 31    | 26    | +5    | 26    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Quindío           |       | 18    | 6     | 7     | 5     | 22    | 23    | -1    | 25    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Junior            |       | 18    | 7     | 3     | 8     | 23    | 28    | -5    | 24    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | Medellín          |       | 18    | 5     | 9     | 4     | 17    | 13    | +4    | 24    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Cúcuta            |       | 18    | 5     | 6     | 7     | 27    | 26    | +1    | 21    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | Itagüí Ditaires   |       | 18    | 5     | 6     | 7     | 18    | 22    | -4    | 21    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Envigado          |       | 18    | 4     | 7     | 7     | 18    | 30    | -12   | 19    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Huila             |       | 18    | 4     | 4     | 10    | 25    | 29    | -4    | 16    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Patriotas FC      |       | 18    | 3     | 7     | 8     | 16    | 33    | -17   | 16    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Pasto             |       | 18    | 4     | 2     | 12    | 17    | 31    | -14   | 14    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Chicó FC          |       | 18    | 2     | 4     | 12    | 17    | 38    | -21   | 10    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Group A
| Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   | Q     | Real Cartagena |       | 6     | 4     | 1     | 1     | 11    | 5     | +6    | 13    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Santa Fe       |       | 6     | 3     | 2     | 1     | 12    | 7     | +5    | 11    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Millonarios    |       | 6     | 2     | 0     | 4     | 5     | 10    | -5    | 6     | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Once Caldas    |       | 6     | 1     | 1     | 4     | 7     | 13    | -6    | 4     | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

Group B:
| Pos   | Inf   | Team              |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   | Q     | Atlético Nacional |       | 6     | 3     | 3     | 0     | 10    | 6     | +4    | 12    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | La Equidad        |       | 6     | 2     | 4     | 0     | 11    | 9     | +2    | 10    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Deportivo Cali    |       | 6     | 2     | 1     | 3     | 9     | 9     | 0     | 7     | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Tolima            |       | 6     | 0     | 2     | 4     | 6     | 12    | -6    | 2     | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

South American Report (July 2012):

Copa Libertadores:

The big one for the continent and who would have predicted that the a late disallowed goal for Universidad Catolica against Flamengo which saw the latter progress 4-3 on aggregate could have such implications. Colombia's first entrant Deportivo Cali would fall at this stage on penalties to Argentine side Lanus.

Into the group stage and things picked up nicely as the Brazilian sides exerted their domination with 5 teams progressing through into the knockout stage. The 2 remaining Colombian sides would fall at this phase as Once Caldas went down in a group that contained Libertad (PAR) and Internacional (BRA), whilst Junior fell short behind America (MEX) and Ecuador's Deportivo Quito.

As for shocks, well Bolivia's The Strongest would come through a group above Argentina's Lanus and Velez as South America's '2nd power' would only see Tigre progress into the knockout phase. Elsewhere Venezuela's Caracas would win their final group game against Penarol to knock out last years finalists, whilst Brazilian giants Vasco would be the only samba team to fall at this hurdle with a meagre 3 draws from 6 games.

The knockout stages would provide little in the way of surprises as all 5 Brazilian sides moved into the Quarter Finals with ease, joined by Mexico's Cruz Azul, Ecuador's Deportivo Quito and Paraguay's Libertad. Alas these 3 teams would fall in this round, to give Brazil an unprecedented 4 teams in the Semi Finals. Flamengo would oust Santos in the first semi final to prevent the golden boys of South America repeating their 2011 success, whilst Fluminense would overturn a 1-0 deficit to thump Corinthians 4-1 on aggregate to setup a spectacular FLA-FLU final.

The final itself would see each team win their away game 1-0, but it would be the Mengao who prevailed as not only a Fred penalty miss in the first leg prove costly, but also 2 misses in the shootout would leave Flu' feeling under the weather as Flamengo would pickup their first continental crown since 1981.

Argentina:

As mentioned the Argentine's suffered badly in the Libertadores with only Tigre making the last 16 before falling with a thud. Domestically the league is without River Plate and as such we began 2012 with the Clasura stage of the competition following Tigre's title to end 2011. Tigre are close to winning back to back titles as they and Boca shared top spot with 37pts and await a playoff to decide where the title goes.

In the Copa Argentina Godoy Cruz beat Estudiantes LP on penalties to win the re-established competition. Whilst a quick peak at Nacional B standings shows us that River Plate will be back in the Primera after a years absence, coming up as Champions ahead of Huracan.

Brazil:

The State Championships dominated the early part of Brazil's domestic season as the notable Championships of Rio and Sao Paolo went to Fluminense and Palmeiras respectively. Serie A has not long got under and its Palmeiras who hold early sway at the top, chased closely by surprise package Figueirense. In the Brazilian Cup Sao Paulo and Botafogo will dice it out to earn a slot in the 2013 Copa Libertadores as both teams look to win the competition for the first time.

Chile:

Chile's Apetura stage was played out and won convincingly by Colo Colo who led the league stage before resoundly thumping Universidad de Chile 6-1 in the Finals to clinch their 29th title. In the Copa Chile the biggest shock was the fall of Colo Colo in the 2nd round as they lost to Primera B side Union Temuco 7-1 on aggregate! In total 7 top flight sides would fall foul to a lower league side as the competition resumes next month.

Peru:

In Peru we are 23 games into the 30 game season and it looks to be a 4 way battle for the top 2 slots and a shot at the title. In pole are Cristal, however they are closely hounded by Alianza Lima, Universidad San Martin and Universitario. All 4 sides have tasted title success in the not to distant past, so the run in should be an intriguing affair for all involved.

Uruguay:

Finally its Uruguay and after Danubio clinched the Apetura stage to end 2011, the Clasura winners Defensor Sporting would have to face off against a Danubio team who wound up with just 3 wins in the Clasura. That mattered not though as Danubio would come through over 2 legs to ensure Defensor endured a 2nd straight year as runners up in Uruguay.