Tolima maintained their four-point lead at the top with victory over Medellin, while Santa Fe and Junior each recorded emphatic victories. At the other end of the table, Quindio secured a vital point to lift them four points clear of bottom side Cacuta.
The weekend kicked off in thrilling style as La Equidad overcame Medellin giants Atletico Nacional 3-2. La Equidad had taken the lead in the 15th minute through midfielder Dahwling Leudo, before a Nacional penalty and goal in the space of four minutes turned the game on its head with less than half an hour gone. La Equidad equalized five minutes before half time and Carmelo Valencia scored his third goal of the season in the 65th minute to hand the Bogota club victory and leave Nacional five points adrift of the top eight.
On Saturday, a brace in the space of five minutes took Efrain Viafara’s season goals tally to eight and secured victory for Itagui Ditaires over south Medellin rivals Envigado. Neider Morantes pulled one back for the home team midway through the second half, but it was not enough to prevent Itagui from maintaing their push and leaving Envigado outside the top eight.
Meanwhile, an awesome second half display led Santa Fe to a crushing 5-0 victory over Real Cartegena. Juan Roa had given the Bogota club a half time lead, before Omar Perez doubled the advantage from the penalty spot three minutes into the second half. Three goals in the final 12 minutes capped a result which left Santa Fe three points behind league leaders Deportes Tolima.
In Tunja, Marco Lazaga’s 37th minute goal was enough to earn victory for Patriotas and take them above opponents Deportivo Cali in the table.
On Saturday evening, second-placed Atletico Huila maintained the pressure on Tolima with victory over Once Caldas. Huila were cruising to victory, going 3-0 up with ten minutes left to play, before two goals in the last five minutes made for a tense finale. For Caldas it was all too late, as they slumped to their seventh defeat in a sorry Apertura campaign.
Caldas’ fears of ending the weekend bottom were allayed on Sunday afternoon by Junior’s emphatic 4-0 victory over basement club Cacuta Deportivo. Two goals in the space of four first-half minutes put the Barranquilla club in the driving seat, before goals from Victor Cortes and Luis Paez added shine to a result which sent the 2011 champions back in to the top eight.
Meanwhile, Deportes Tolima reestablished their four-point lead at the summit with a 1-0 victory over Independiente Medellin. Substitute Henry Rojas’ 66th minute goal, two minutes after coming off the bench, was enough to clinch victory at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium and extend Medellin’s winless run to eight matches.
Elsewhere, Deportes Pasto leapfrogged Boyaca Chico with a 2-0 victory in Pasto. Goals seven minutes each side of half time from Arbey Diaz and Edwards Jiminez secured the victory, which left Chico outside of the top eight.
Sunday’s late kick saw Deportes Quindio secure a vital point with a 2-2- draw against Bogota heavyweights Millionarios. Humberto Osorio’s eleventh goal of the season gave Millionarios the lead midway through the second half, before Olmes Garcia pulled things level with eleven minutes left to play. William Tesillo’s own goal in the 87th minute restored Millionarios’ lead, but a minute later Aldair Murillo levelled for Quindio, taking them up to 15th in the table.
For a full results list and table, look right.
