In a thrilling match on the eleventh round of the Colombian league, Once Caldas showcased their superiority, defeating Pasto 4-2 at the Palogrande Stadium. The Tricolor’s goals came from Felipe Gomez (7’ 1T), Jorge Cardona (17’ 1T), Jefry Zapata (1’ 2T), and Dayro Moreno (18’ 2T, penalty). In contrast, Pasto found the net through Andrey Estupiñán (35’ 2T, penalty) and Diego Chávez (39’ 2T).
A standout moment was Felipe Gomez’s stunning opening goal in the seventh minute, where he fired a long-range shot into the top left corner after receiving an assist from Robert Mejía.
Despite managing 21 attempts, Pasto struggled with accuracy, hitting the target only 10 times while 9 efforts went off target, which ultimately cost them crucial points in the match.
Felipe Gomez’s outstanding display earned him the title of Man of the Match, with a goal and two attempts on goal, leading his teammates effectively. Andrey Estupiñán from Pasto also impressed, scoring once and taking 4 shots.
The match saw tactical setups from both sides, with Once Caldas opting for a 4-5-1 formation led by coach Hernán Herrera. The lineup included Felipe Parra in goal; a defense consisting of Juan David Cuesta, Juan Castaño, Jorge Cardona, and Kevin Tamayo; while Jader Quiñónes, Robert Mejía, Jefry Zapata, Luis Sánchez, and Felipe Gomez formed a strong midfield; Dayro Moreno was the lone forward.
Pasto’s coach Marc Reixats employed a similar 4-5-1 strategy with Geovanni Banguera as the goalkeeper; the defensive line composed of Santiago Jiménez, Fáiner Torijano, Nicolás Gil, and Hervin Goyes; Harrinson Mancilla, Johan Caicedo, Mayer Gil, Matías Pisano, and Andrey Estupiñán occupied the midfield; and the attack was spearheaded by Santiago Córdoba.
The referee for this exciting encounter was Andrés Rojas Noguera.
Next, the Tricolor will face Bucaramanga away, while Pasto will host Boyacá Chicó. Currently, Once Caldas leads the table with 22 points, closely followed by Pasto with 21 points in third place.
Substitutions for Once Caldas
69’ 2T – Dayro Moreno was replaced by Mateo Zuleta
70’ 2T – Luis Sánchez made way for Michael Barrios
72’ 2T – Felipe Gomez exited for Déinner Quiñónes, Robert Mejía was substituted by Iván Rojas, Johan Caicedo came off for Diego Chávez, and Matías Pisano was replaced by Wilson Morelo
81’ 2T – Jader Quiñónes was substituted for Rafael Acuña
Yellow Cards for Once Caldas:
33’ 1T Robert Mejía (holding an opponent to prevent advancing)
Substitutions for Pasto
45’ 2T – Mayer Gil was replaced by Enrique Serje and Harrinson Mancilla by Yeiler Góez
73’ 2T – Santiago Córdoba came off for José Bernal
Yellow Cards for Pasto:
25’ 1T Harrinson Mancilla (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13’ 2T Enrique Serje (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15’ 2T Santiago Jiménez (insulting or disapproving the referee), and 49’ 2T Diego Chávez (unsportsmanlike conduct)
Red Card for Pasto:
50’ 2T Santiago Jiménez (red card for two yellow offenses)