Daniel Muñoz, the Crystal Palace defender and member of the Colombian national team, delighted Atlético Nacional fans on the evening of Sunday, July 21, with an unexpected appearance in the southern stands of the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín. This event took place during the classic match against América de Cali, where Nacional emerged victorious with a score of 2-1.
Muñoz brought back memories of his earlier days as a supporter of Atlético Nacional, a team he passionately cheered for before making his way to the Premier League. His surprise visit occurred just as the first half came to a close, capturing the attention of the crowd. The players’ narrator on Win Sports remarked, “It’s very rare for Daniel Muñoz to watch a match from the stands. Hopefully, he can do it more often. What a player!”
After the intense match, Muñoz took the time to greet Nacional’s players in the locker room. His journey in professional football has not been easy. He nearly gave up at the start of his career due to a lack of opportunities with Colombian teams. However, through hard work and determination, he now stands among the elite in European football.
Despite facing challenges, such as being sent off in the recent Copa América semifinal against Uruguay, Muñoz broke records by becoming the only Colombian defender to score two goals in a major tournament. His impressive performances during the competition helped elevate his market value. According to Transfermarkt, his worth rose from €18 million to €23 million, which translates to over 100 billion pesos.
In the match against América, Cardona opened the scoring for Atlético Nacional with a penalty just four minutes into the second half after VAR confirmed a handball by Edwin Velasco. However, Duván Vergara equalized for América with a header in the 58th minute. Nacional responded quickly, with Tesillo scoring a goal to tie the match five minutes before the end, assisted by Jorman Campuzano. Cardona’s winning goal came in stoppage time.
The game showcased missed opportunities on both sides, with Joan Castro and Juan Zapata failing to convert for Nacional, while América’s Éver Valencia struggled to stay composed. With this victory, Atlético Nacional holds fourth place in the Clausura standings with three points from two matches, while América de Cali sits sixth with the same total.
Cardona’s goal marked his second consecutive scoring in the league, Tesillo netted his first for Nacional, and Vergara recorded his first league goal in his debut appearance.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/07/22/daniel-munoz-enloquecio-al-atanasio-girardot-con-sorpresiva-aparicion-entre-barristas-de-nacional/
