The fifteenth round of the BetPlay DIMAYOR League wrapped up this Friday, leaving a trail of uncertainty for several “heavyweights” and confirming the dominance of those at the top of the table. With today’s final whistles, the race for the “Home of the Eight” (the semi-final quadrangulars) enters its most critical phase, with only 12 points left to play for most clubs.
A Golden Victory for Deportivo Cali in Barranquilla
The biggest news of the day came from the Atlantic capital. Deportivo Cali secured a life-saving 1-2 victory against Junior de Barranquilla. In a match where “El Tiburón” started as the heavy favorite, the effectiveness of the Valle del Cauca side proved decisive.
The man of the match was Steven Rodríguez, whose brace (34th and 62nd minutes) capitalized on defensive lapses from César Farías’ squad. Junior had a chance to equalize from the penalty spot, but Avilés Hurtado missed the shot, leaving the local fans frustrated as their team slipped to fifth place with 25 points. Meanwhile, Cali climbed to 11th place with 19 points, keeping their mathematical hopes of qualification alive.
In today’s other fixture, Fortaleza F.C. and Internacional de Bogotá shared the spoils at Techo Stadium with a 1-1 draw. This result slightly favors “Inter,” who remains in 7th place with 22 points, consolidating their status as the tournament’s underdog story.
Nacional Rules, Millonarios Falters
The matchday, which began midweek, served to ratify Atlético Nacional’s leadership. Despite a scoreless draw against Cúcuta Deportivo, the “Verdolaga” side reached 31 points, virtually securing their spot in the next phase.
On Thursday, América de Cali showed its authority by defeating the reigning champions, Atlético Bucaramanga, 2-0. Led by a masterclass from Yeison Guzmán, the “Escarlata” team climbed to 6th place. The defeat leaves Bucaramanga in a precarious 10th position, forcing them to win their remaining matches to defend their title.
The negative surprise remains Millonarios, who fell 1-0 during their visit to Jaguares de Córdoba. Alberto Gamero’s team looked predictable and lacked depth. With this loss, the “Embajadores” dropped to 8th place with 21 points, now closely chased by Llaneros and Bucaramanga.
📊 Standings as of April 3 (Top 10)
- Atlético Nacional: 31 pts (Qualified)
- Deportivo Pasto: 28 pts
- Deportes Tolima: 26 pts
- Once Caldas: 25 pts
- Junior FC: 25 pts
- América de Cali: 24 pts
- Internacional de Bogotá: 22 pts
- Millonarios FC: 21 pts
- Llaneros FC: 20 pts
- Atlético Bucaramanga: 19 pts
