Santa Fe is excited about the tenth star: it beat Tolima and is a finalist in the BetPlay League

Pablo Peirano’s team is getting ready for its first final since 2020 and to look for a tenth star that León fans have been waiting for since the second half of 2016. The semi-final home run ended with a triumph against Deportes Tolima that had the option to resolve at home.

(Also read: Atlético Bucaramanga does not believe in anyone: it beats Pereira and is the first finalist of the Betplay League)

The Santa Fe classification seemed much calmer, even authoritative. The team led by Pablo Peirano put into play all the virtues that led them to fight for classification and equal the mark for the highest number of points in semifinal home runs in short tournaments: 16, the same as Nacional in 2002-I.

Hugo Rodallega, scorer and figure of Santa Fe, warned that they were not going to defend themselves, even though they qualified with a win or a draw. They surprised Tolima, created their options and found the advantage before finishing the first stage: a shot by Daniel Torres, a rebound by goalkeeper Neto Volpi and a stellar appearance by Agustín Rodríguez to hang it in the corner with a shot from the six-yard box.

Santa Fe seemed to continue to pass by: 11 minutes into the second half, after a series of rebounds, Francisco Chaverra put in a cross and the Argentine Marcelo Ortiz, who has been key in the home runs, connected with a header and scored 0-2.

Tolima found a second wind thanks to the drive, the high level of Yeison Guzmán and a streak of injuries that forced Santa Fe to play something else and take cover. He had already lost Elvis Perlaza to injury at intermission. Then Facundo Agüero suffered and left the field crying.

Agüero’s replacement, David Ramírez Pisciotti, had the misfortune of putting the ball in his goal and giving Tolima one more life, in a corner kick from Guzmán: the defender tried to anticipate Juan José Mera and the ball hit on the sole of his left guayo and it took a strange effect and hit goalkeeper Andrés Mosquera Marmolejo. It was just the first goal against in the entire home run.
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​Santa Fe had to rearrange itself, take a deep breath and begin to manage the advantage. Tolima had to score two goals for the miracle and the discount came in the 79th minute. The 11 minutes became 18 with the addition given by referee Carlos Ortega. It was not an easy ending. But a classification more than deserved.