Atlético Nacional Rallies Past Fortaleza Thanks to Lucas González's Substitutions, Takes Three Points at El Campín

A header from a defender who celebrated like a striker, a crossbar that denied Fortaleza a goal, and a bench that ended up deciding the match. That was the afternoon at El Campín, where Atlético Nacional beat Fortaleza 2-1 in a game that started crooked for the Verdolagas and ended in celebration, though not in the satisfaction of their coach.

The result left Nacional with three points for Matchday 6 of the 2026-II BetPlay League, but Lucas González held nothing back at the press conference. The coach was so critical of what he saw in the first half that he ended up apologizing.

I have to apologize to the fans because we played very poorly in the first half, far from what we expect, far from what we want to see.Lucas González

And it was no small thing. Fortaleza came out pressing high and making it difficult for Nacional to build out of the back for much of the first 45 minutes. Sarmiento gave an early warning with a shot that hit the post, then goalkeeper Armani had to step up twice to prevent a goal, and on top of that the crossbar did Nacional a favor when Herrera, of Los Amix, fired a shot that was headed straight into the back of the net. Nacional also lost winger Nicolás Rodríguez to injury, who went down alone after contesting a ball and could not continue.

The first big one-on-one chance fell to Chicho Arango with a half-volley that forced a fine save from goalkeeper Barlasina, but it was Andrés Copete who found the net, winning a header off a corner kick to score what was, in fact, his first goal as a professional. With that 1-0, Fortaleza went into halftime with a lead that fairly reflected what had happened on the field.

The change of script in the second half

Lucas González understood he needed to shake up the bench, and he did so without hesitation, bringing on Edwin Cardona, Alfredo Morelos and Ian Poveda all at once. The coach later explained the decision plainly.

We needed to change something. We chose to bring on Poveda, Edwin and Alfredo.Lucas González

The gamble paid off. Cardona became the engine of the comeback with two dangerous shots, one of them forcing another great save from Barlasina, and then with two crosses that nearly turned into goals had Morelos or Román been able to finish them off directly on target. In the end, the persistence paid off: in the 77th minute came the equalizer from Morelos, assisted by Poveda, and near the close of the match Cardona himself stepped up to make it 2-1 from the penalty spot.

With the comeback complete, González nonetheless acknowledged the level of the opponent and did not want to hide Fortaleza's merit in the first half.

I can't ignore Fortaleza's merit, they've done very well.Lucas González

The coach also had a message for the locker room about rotation and internal competition: "If there's one thing I want my players to understand, it's that the team comes above everyone," he said, making clear that there will be matches in which some players start from the bench without that being a punishment.

What stood out was the coach's self-demand even after a win. When asked what percentage he believes Nacional is at compared to the team he wants to build, he did not hesitate to be tough on himself and on the squad.

As of today, 20 percent. Especially after today's match.Lucas González

For González, the central problem lies in how the team handles opponents' pressure, something he admitted they still struggle to solve on the field. "We need more training sessions. We're just starting out, it's hard for a team to play the way you want right away, but that's our job," he explained, adding that the idea is to find better buildup patterns so the ball doesn't arrive contested to free players.