Santa Fe takes a big step towards the final: key victory in El Campín against Once Caldas fuels its dream

Santa Fe fought another tough battle to write down in its books of feats this season. This time he had to fight hard to achieve another victory and he did not fail.

In fact, the game started with a huge scare, with a play that left the red stands frozen when Palacios scored a great goal. The ball came to him from the east, it landed perfectly in the area where he got ahead of his mark and made the impact. Mosquera Marmolejo, who had not yet intervened, saw how the ball was going towards his goal and he could not get there. Luck, the wind or collective prayer saved him, because the ball bounced off the vertical of his right hand.
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​It was 12 minutes away, it was very early, but Once Caldas declared its intentions. I had not come to El Campín to speculate. He wanted to attack, he wanted to win.

But Santa Fe was not going to put up with such visiting audacity. He went ahead. Millán tried medium distance. The team gained confidence. It started to rain in the centers to look for Hugo Rodallegawho scored two very good headers, one outside and another that goalkeeper Aguirre grabbed.

(Also read: This is how Miguel Borja celebrated his call-up to the Colombian National Team: the forward spices it up and remembers Dibu Martínez)
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However, it was not a game to trust. The rival was not going to be docile. In fact, Eleven had another very clear action. The ball reached Palacios who, facing the goal, outside the area, finished very freely, it was a goal play but goalkeeper Marmolejo stretched his right leg and with his limb prevented his goal from falling.

The second half maintained its intensity. Both teams, determined to win, no draws, had already tied in Manizales, they could not give up any more ground, especially with Tolima threatening. Rodallega said ‘here I am’ and took a violent shot that Aguirre deflected in a great stretch. The play aroused screams in the stands. The fans were excited. Also the players: Agustín Rodríguez went for his thing and took his shot that made Aguirre fly again.

The goal began to have a cardinal aroma, a red and white flavor. The goal began to be felt in El Campín, it was coming, it was going to arrive, it was palpitating.

Once Caldas had its fatal flaw, it lost the ball under great Cardinal pressure. Torres started it all. Pass to Rodallega, Rodallega to Velásquez who finished poorly, softly, without decision, but the ball was treacherous, it deceived goalkeeper Aguirre, it slipped from his left hand, and it remained there, alive, ready for someone to devour it, and it was when the biggest lion, Daniel Torres, appeared to capture it and send it to the net for 1-0. in 58 minutes.​

There was a lot of time left, so Santa Fe had to be smart, not back down, not lose concentration. The rival was not to be trusted. Dayro Moreno almost surprised with a violent shot, then it was Patiño who demanded the most from Marmolejo. However, Santa Fe became strong, appealing to his order and his sacrifice. The lions knew that this victory was a huge haul to go to the final.

Santa Fe once again demonstrated its home fury. When the central referee whistled, that powerful cry of “we won” was heard, which came from the throats of the 24 thousand fans who came to the stadium. The fans and the team dream, they watch the final closely, they don’t have it yet, but they sense it.