Independiente Medellin defend their Copa Mustang lead at America de Cali in the 11th round of the tournament, while Atletico Huila try to close the gap at Once Caldas.
Leaders Medellin face a very touch challenge at America, who have slowly begun to recover from a bad season start. America aren’t actually winning a lot, but aren’t losing much either at this point. Making matters worse for Medellin, they haven’t won any of the last 11 games with the Cali outfit. The home advantage may once again force a decision in this game.
A week after losing Mario Beltran and Hernan Cordoba in a horrific car accident, Atletico Huila will have to try and focus on regular business with a match at troubled Once Caldas. The Manizales side won this year’s Copa Mustang I but are currently on a winless streak of five games. The match at Palogrande stadium will be close, but Once Caldas may be favored to win given the circumstances.
Third-placed Santa Fe visit a Deportes Quindio side that has been losing most of its recent games. Quindio will also be disappointed after getting eliminated from the Copa Colombia, a tournament Santa Fe are still in. The Bogota side are in better shape than their opponents but should also remember the most recent encounter, with Quindio beating ‘los Cardenales’ 2-3 in April this year.
One of the top clashes this weekend is the game between Atletico Nacional and Deportivo Pasto. The teams that are currently placed sixth and fourth respectively, will want to strengthen their position in the top eight and possibly deal their direct rival a major blow in the process. Nacional have been the better team in meetings between these two teams, having won three of the last four games. In April this year, the two sides drew 1-1.
Atletico Junior have a good chance of adding three points to their account against last-placed Envigado. Matches between these two times have a habit of ending in wins for the home team, as this has happened on the last eight occasions. Junior won the last encounter, a 3-0 victory in June this year.
Deportivo Cali will also likely be affected by the loss of Hernan Cordoba, whose sportive rights were in fact owned by the Greens. If anything, Cali may be helped by the fact that Cucuta have very little chance of making it into the top eight and motivation may begin to play a role at the home team. When the teams last met, in June this year, Cali won one goal to nil.
Deportes Tolima defend their eighth spot against Boyaca Chico, who in turn hope to enter the top eight with a win in Ibague. That being said, it has been impossible for Chico to win an away game to Tolima in previous years and bookmakers once again favor Tolima to secure three points. ‘Los Pijaos’ will need those points to keep away a large number of hungry rivals that are all just outside the top eight.
In other games, Millonarios host Real Cartagena at El Campin stadium and La Equidad receive Deportivo Pereira at El Techo.