As the Liga Postobon runs into its final month before the play-off stage, only the bottom two teams will have given up hope of making the final cut.
League leaders Junior will be looking to extend their six game unbeaten run against troubled Cucuta, who are without a win since early September. It should prove a straightforward fixture for Junior with Cucuta distracted by the off-field problems that have plagued their season.
With the club in financial turmoil, a threatened strike by the Cucuta players was narrowly avoided last week when local authorities intervened to offer the players a month’s pay. However, according to the players, they are yet to receive any of the money, but will still turn out to face Junior.
Just one point behind the leaders on 19, Itagui will travel to Neiva to meet Huila. Itagui will be keen to avoid the tailspin in form they suffered at the end of their top flight debut in this year’s opening tournament. The season run-in saw them miss out on the play-offs by just two points after failing to muster a single win in their last eight games.
Behind the top two, sit six teams on 18 points. Two of those, Quindio and Tolima, meet each other in a clash that offers both teams a crucial opportunity to cement a place in the last eight. Quindio will be looking to bounce back from their shock defeat to Cartagena last week while Tolima will be hoping to show the sort of battling qualities that saw them turn around a two goal deficit against high-flying Itagui.
Of the other top eight teams, America, who have a game in hand over their rivals, play Medellin, whose poor form in recent weeks has seen them drop out of contention for the play-offs and into the bottom two. Meanwhile, Cali faces a tricky trip to Envigado, while Santa Fe meet 13th placed Once Caldas and Chico play struggling La Equidad.
In other games, Nacional, who have slumped from top spot to ninth in the last few weeks, will be hoping newly crowned Copa Colombia champions Millonarios will still be nursing their cup win hangovers as the Medellin team try to break back into the top eight. One point behind Nacional, Pereira takes on Real Cartagena at home.
Full schedule:
Tuesday November 1
8PM Huila VS Itagui
8PM Quindio VS Tolima
Wednesday November 2
3:30PM Envigado VS Cali
6PM Equidad VS Chico
8PM Nacional VS Millonarios
8PM Pereira VS R.Cartagena
8PM Santa Fe VS O. Caldas
8:30PM America VS Medellín
Thursday November 3
8PM Junior VS Cucuta
