While Colombian league leaders Once Caldas suffered their first defeat of the season at Deportivo Pereira, no less than 11 goals were scored at the regional clash between Atletico Huila and Deportes Tolima.
In the weekend of ‘classics’, matches featuring two teams from the same city or part of the country, Once Caldas traveled to Pereira with the aim of remaining unbeaten for a ninth consecutive game.
But things did not go as planned for the Manizales side as Diego Amaya scored an own goal in the 56th minute to hand Pereira a 1-0 victory.
Second-placed Deportes Tolima were on the winning end of a spectacular match at Atletico Huila, beating their neighbors 7-4.
Things initially weren’t particularly unusual as Tolima’s Wilmer Parra had an early goal canceled out by an own goal from Gustavo Bolivar in the 15th minute, but Tolima then went full throttle and ended the first half with a 6-2 lead. The goals came from Wilder Medina, Julian Hurtado, Walden Vargas (own goal), Parra and Christian Marrugo.
Wilson Morelo then pulled one back just before the break and converted penalties from Jorge Vidal and Ayron Del Valle set the score to 6-4 in the second half. Tolima had the final say though, as Diego Chara made it 7-4 with ten minutes to go.
Sunday’s league action also featured the Bogota derby between Santa Fe and Millonarios, in which the home side took most of the initiative in the first half.
But no goals were scored before the break and Millonarios began to show more dominance in the second half. Juan Ortiz broke the deadlock four minutes before the hour and substitute Wilson Carpintero made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute.
The remaining Bogota club, La Equidad, defeated Boyaca Chico 2-0 with goals from Javier Araujo and Roberto Polo. Chico’s Pedro Pino was red-carded just before the hour.
Itagüi Ditaires hosted Envigado in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw. Alvaro Manga scored the opener for the hosts in the 58th minute but Jorge Serna equalised from the penalty spot in the 75th.
In Sunday’s remaining game, Cucuta Deportivo beat Deportes Quindio 2-0 with second-half goals from Jose Luis Bueno and Haider Palacio.
On Saturday, Independiente Medellin hosted local rivals Atletico Nacional, who soon took a 2-0 lead with goals from Dorlan Pabon and Carlos Renteria.
Jaime Castrillon pulled one back in the 32nd minute but Pabon netted his second of the day two minutes after the hour to restore the two-goal gap. Nine minutes later, a converted penalty from Medellin’s Luis Mosquera turned out to be the final goal of the game, with Nacional winning 3-2.
As hosts, America de Cali had a better start against their local rivals Deportivo Cali, needing just eight minutes for Jorge Artigas and Aviles Hurtado hand their side a 2-0 lead.
But Cali quickly recovered and finished the first half 2-2 as Luis Chara and Gabriel Fernandez brought their team back into the tie. Gonzalo Martinez then converted a penalty kick in the 55th minute to lead Deportivo Cali to a 3-2 win.
In the coastal classic, Junior of Barranquilla beat Real Cartagena 2-0 with Juan Valencia and Carlos Bacca (penalty) finding the target.
With an average of three goals per match, the round will mostly be remembered for the 11-goal thriller at Huila versus Tolima, and the high amount of penalties with a total of seven.
As the tournament’s regular season reaches its halfway-point, Once Caldas, Tolima, Nacional, Millonarios, La Equidad, Itagüi, Envigado and Cucuta are currently on track for a spot in the play-offs.
