Huila and Tolima each scored three to take maximum points, maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the table. Envigado slipped out of the top eight following a late defeat at La Equidad, as Deportivo Pasto stepped in after dealing another blow to Atletico Nacional’s Apertura campaign.
The weekend began with Real Cartagena’s 3-2 victory ending Independiente Medellin’s five-game winning streak. Cartagena (11th) scored two goals in the first 11 minutes and went three up after a 62nd minute penalty from Gonzalo Martinez. Medellin (12th) staged a fighback, scoring in the 71st minute and forcing Cartagena to hang on after William Arboleda’s 88th minute penalty made it 3-2.
Saturday afternoon saw Huila (1st) put three past Patriotas (6th) in a comfortable win, while La Equidad claimed victory against Envigado with a 98th minute penalty from Jhon Viafara. The win cemented third place in the table for the Bogota minnows and sent Envigado (10th) out of the top eight.
Saturday evening started with Santa Fe’s 2-1 victory over Junior, courtesy of a 72nd minute winner from Sergio Otalvaro, taking the Bogota club to fifth in the table and leaving Junior in the top eight only on goal difference. The late kick off brought victory for Deportivo Cali (9th) as a 7th minute goal from Felix Micolta was enough to hand yet another away loss to Cacuta (17th).
On Sunday, boottom club Quindio earned a valuable point in their fight for survival, with a 0-0 draw away to Once Caldas (15th). Itagui (4th) conceded two goals in seven minutes to lose 3-2 against Tolima, their first home loss of the season. Victory kept Tolima in second, trailing Huila by only goal difference. Meanwhile, an 89th minute equaliser from Humberto Osorio rescued a 1-1 draw for Millionarios (13th) against Boyaca Chico (16th) and maintained the Bogota heavyweights in lower mid-table mediocrity
The Sunday evening game brought another dismal result for Medellin giants Atletico Nacional, as they went down 1-0 to Deportivo Pasto. Nacional (14th) had Christian Tula sent off for a second yellow card in the 62nd minute, before substitute Joselito Vaca’s 77th minute goal handed Pasto victory. The result was Nacional’s third home loss of the Apertura campaign and left them just four points from the bottom of the table.
Game week 10 results
Fri 30/03/12
Real Cartagena 3-2 Medellin
Sat 31/03/12
Atletico Huila 3-0 Patriotas
La Equidad 1-0 Envigado
Santa Fe 2-1 Junior
Deportivo Cali 1-0 Cucuta Deportivo
Sun 01/04/12
Once Caldas 0-0 Deportes Quindio
Itagui Ditaires 2-3 Deportes Tolima
Boyaca Chico 0-0 Millonarios
Atletico Nacional 0-1 Deportivo Pasto