América de Cali, unbeaten leader, hosts Junior amid crisis in Matchday 7 of Liga BetPlay 2022-II

Unbeaten leader against a two-time champion in crisis. That's how simple, and how appealing, this Wednesday's matchup looks for Matchday 7 of the Liga BetPlay 2022-II, when América de Cali hosts Junior with two completely opposite storylines on the table.

The match kicks off at 6:20 p.m. (Colombia time) with one unusual detail: it won't be played in Cali. The 'Escarlata' squad moved its home game to Estadio Francisco Rivera Escobar in Palmira after Bogotá's Soccer Commission denied the club's request to play at El Campín, the alternate venue it had sought following the fan disturbances registered in the previous round. Fans looking to watch live can tune in through Win.

A clash of opposite realities

América de Cali arrives as the unbeaten league leader, no small feat at this point in the season. For the 'Escarlata' side, every match is a chance to extend its cushion at the top and keep building a campaign that's starting to get its fans excited.

Junior, on the other hand, is going through one of its worst starts in recent memory. The reigning back-to-back Colombian champion sits near the bottom of the table and badly needs points if it wants to avoid a situation that could get even worse. A win is no longer just an option for the 'Tiburón,' it's a must.

The names that could make the difference

Up front for América, two names keep coming up whenever the conversation turns to goals: Yeison Guzmán and Dany Rosero. Both have been key to keeping the team at the top and carry, without question, the heaviest scoring burden against the opposing goal.

On the other side, all eyes will be on Luis Fernando Muriel. The forward was one of the standout figures in Junior's title run last season, with 13 goals and one assist, and now the 'Tiburón' needs him to spark life back into a campaign that has, so far, been one to forget.

Recent results explain the contrasting moods. América arrives after a 0-0 draw against Independiente Santa Fe at El Campín, a result that let it hold onto its unbeaten record and first place. Junior, meanwhile, salvaged a 1-1 draw against Once Caldas at the Romelio Martínez, a point that avoided another loss but did nothing to lift it out of the bottom spots.

The recent head-to-head history also adds some spice to this matchup. In the last meeting, Junior won 2-1 at home: Yeison Guzmán had put América ahead, but a penalty from Teófilo Gutiérrez in stoppage time gave the win to the Barranquilla side.

With that result still fresh, América will look to prove its lead atop the table is no fluke, while Junior will try to make Palmira the starting point for its climb out of the bottom of the standings.