In their first match of the season, Once Caldas had a thrilling comeback against Cúcuta, emerging victorious with a score of 2-1. The match took place at the General Santander Stadium and featured an intense display of football.
Cúcuta initially took control of the game, scoring first through a penalty taken by Jaime Peralta after 34 minutes into the first half. However, Once Caldas did not back down. Dayro Moreno played a pivotal role in their recovery, scoring two goals during the second half – the first one came in the 61st minute from a penalty, followed by another in the 81st minute, sealing the match with a final score of 2-1.
Moreno’s outstanding performance earned him the title of ‘Man of the Match,’ as he not only scored twice but also made five attempts on goal, demonstrating his attacking prowess.
Another standout player for Cúcuta was goalkeeper Federico Abadía, who made 8 crucial saves throughout the match.
Cúcuta’s coach, Nelson Flórez, opted for a 4-3-3 formation with Abadía in goal, supported by defenders Armando Ballesteros, Jhon Quiñónes, Sebastián Rodríguez, and Mauricio Duarte. In midfield, Juan Ceballos, Santiago Orozco, and Leider Berdugo were tasked with controlling the game, while forwards Sebastián Támara, Jaime Peralta, and Eduar Arízalas spearheaded the attack.
On the other side, coach Hernán Herrera arranged Once Caldas in a defensive 4-5-1 formation. Felipe Parra guarded the goal, with a backline of Juan David Cuesta, Jorge Cardona, Kevin Cuesta, and Kevin Tamayo. The midfield was composed of Jaime Alvarado, Esteban Beltrán, Michael Barrios, Luis Sánchez, and Mateo Zuleta, with Dayro Moreno leading the front line.
The match was officiated by referee Luis Matorel Martínez.
Looking forward to the next round, Cúcuta will travel to face Internacional de Bogotá, while Once Caldas will host Santa Fe. Currently, Cúcuta sits at the 13th position without any points, whereas Once Caldas climbs to 5th place with 3 points in the tournament.
Substitutions for Cúcuta
58’ 2T – Ceballos off for Jonathan Agudelo
59’ 2T – Berdugo off for Victor Mejia
72’ 2T – Arízalas off for Jhon Valencia, Ballesteros off for Brayan Montaño, Támara off for Lucas Ríos
Cautions for Cúcuta
5’ 1T – Sebastián Támara (Unsporting behavior)
26’ 1T – Armando Ballesteros (Unsporting behavior)
7’ 2T – Jaime Peralta (Dissent)
46’ 2T – Lucas Ríos (Dissent)
Red Card for Cúcuta
7’ 2T – Jaime Peralta (Second yellow card)
Substitutions for Once Caldas
45’ 2T – Beltrán off for Jefry Zapata, Zuleta off for Déinner Quiñónes
69’ 2T – Barrios off for Felipe Gomez
80’ 2T – Alvarado off for Iván Rojas, Cuesta off for Efraín Navarro
Cautions for Once Caldas
7’ 1T – Jaime Alvarado (Unsporting behavior)
36’ 1T – Esteban Beltrán (Unsporting behavior)
38’ 2T – Luis Sánchez (Holding off an opponent)
50’ 2T – Iván Rojas (Unsporting behavior)