Atlético Junior secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over América de Cali on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the Romelio Martínez Stadium. The match, part of the seventh matchday of the Liga BetPlay Torneo Apertura, was decided in stoppage time by a penalty converted by veteran Teófilo Gutiérrez, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
The match’s opening moments were filled with controversy as VAR intervened in the 7th minute to call a penalty for Junior after América’s Omar Bertel was judged to have committed a handball inside the area. Luis Muriel stepped up and calmly slotted the ball home, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Junior a 1-0 lead.
Junior continued to press forward after taking the lead, with Muriel proving to be a constant threat. The forward had several opportunities to extend the advantage, including a shot blocked inside the box and another well-saved by the opposing goalkeeper, but couldn’t find the back of the net again.
América responded midway through the first half, with Yeison Guzmán orchestrating their attacks. In the 28th minute, Guzmán unleashed a powerful strike from outside the area that found the bottom corner, leveling the score at 1-1.
The second half saw both teams trade chances in an end-to-end contest. Junior continued to push for a winner, but the América goalkeeper proved to be equal to the task. Just as a draw seemed inevitable, a VAR review in added time awarded Junior a penalty.
With the clock ticking past the 90-minute mark, veteran forward Teófilo Gutiérrez stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick in the 91st minute, securing a 2-1 victory for Junior.
The result earns Junior three crucial points in the Apertura tournament and provides a boost of confidence after a hard-fought match.
