Liga BetPlay II round 15 preview: Bucaramanga, the only unbeaten side, host leaders América

Round 15 of the Liga BetPlay II is played in full: ten matches from Saturday 17 to Tuesday 20 October. The fixture to watch first is on Sunday in Bucaramanga: Atlético Bucaramanga, third and the only unbeaten side in the tournament, host the leaders, América de Cali, who lost at home to Medellín in the previous round. That same night Deportivo Cali, second and two points behind, host Junior, who are 16th. With five rounds left, Deportes Tolima lead the race for eighth place, the last one that leads to the cuadrangulares, on 20 points, two more than Cúcuta.

Saturday 17 October

Millonarios v Jaguares (18:00 Bogotá time). At El Campín. Millonarios are seventh on 22 points and, along with Tolima and Internacional, have played the most matches, 14; they drew 1–1 with Fortaleza at Techo, with a goal from Ureña on 88 and one from Fortaleza on 90. Jaguares are 18th with 10 points from 12 matches and come off a 3–2 win over Tolima with a goal on 90. Jaguares won three of the last five meetings, all at home, the most recent 1–0 in April 2026; in Bogotá the sides drew 0–0 in September 2024. The match was confirmed after an inspection by the Dimayor and the club on Friday, El Tiempo reports; the state of the El Campín pitch after a concert forced the postponement of Millonarios v Once Caldas, according to Infobae.

Independiente Medellín v Once Caldas (20:10 Bogotá time). At the Atanasio Girardot. Independiente Medellín are fifth on 23 points and won 2–1 at the Pascual Guerrero in round 14; on Wednesday they lost 3–2 to Atlético Nacional in the Copa Colombia. Once Caldas are 10th on 16, four points off eighth, and beat Llaneros 1–0. Medellín are unbeaten against Once Caldas in the last four meetings: they drew 1–1 in Manizales in April 2026, and before that Medellín won 5–1 away in October 2025, 2–0 at home in April 2025 and 2–0 away in September 2024. According to El Colombiano, the Atanasio was ready for Wednesday's Copa derby after the EDC festival, with the pitch in excellent condition. EFE reports that Juan Fernando Quintero, who has been out for several weeks with an injury to his left rectus femoris, is a doubt, and that Once Caldas are still under interim coach Carlos «Panelo» Valencia.

Sunday 18 October

Águilas Doradas v Deportes Tolima (14:00 Bogotá time). Águilas Doradas are 11th on 16 points and drew 1–1 in Bucaramanga on Tuesday, in a postponed round 7 match. Tolima, eighth on 20 from 14 matches, lost 3–2 in Montería and have not won in their last five league matches. Tolima won four of the last five meetings, the most recent 4–1 at home in March 2026; Águilas won 2–1 in Ibagué in May 2025.

Atlético Bucaramanga v América de Cali (16:00 Bogotá time). At the Américo Montanini. Bucaramanga are third on 24 points from 12 matches, with six wins and six draws, and drew 1–1 with Águilas on Tuesday. América lead with 27 from 13, are the top scorers, with 25 goals, and, together with Deportivo Cali, have the best defence, with nine conceded; they lost 2–1 to Medellín after Dany Rosero was sent off on 45+2. América's Y. Guzmán tops the scoring charts with 18. Bucaramanga have not beaten América since August 2025, when they won 1–0 at home in the Copa Colombia; since then América have won 2–0 in the Copa Colombia and 2–1 in the Sudamericana, the sides drew 0–0 in Cali in September 2025 and América won 2–0 at home in April 2026. Rosero will miss the match, EFE reports, and América coach David González said that Mateo Castillo will be out for three or four weeks with an adductor injury, and that the team are going to Bucaramanga intending to win, according to El País.

Llaneros v Santa Fe (18:05 Bogotá time). At the Manuel Calle Lombana in Villavicencio. Llaneros are 12th on 14 points and lost 1–0 in Manizales; Santa Fe, sixth on 22 from 12 matches, won 1–0 in Medellín in their last league match. Llaneros won the last two meetings in Bogotá, 1–0 in April 2026 and 3–1 in October 2025.

Deportivo Cali v Junior (20:10 Bogotá time). At Deportivo Cali's stadium in Palmira. Cali are second on 25 points and share the best defence with América; they drew 0–0 in Yopal against Pereira, with ten men from the 35th minute, after five straight wins. Junior are 16th on 11 points and have drawn their last two matches, 2–2 with Internacional and 1–1 with Pereira on Wednesday, both in Barranquilla; L. Muriel has 16 goals. Cali won 2–1 in Barranquilla in April 2026; before that, Junior won 2–0 in Palmira in July 2025. According to El País, coach Rafael Dudamel will be without Gustavo Cuéllar and Léyser Chaverra, who are suspended, and Ronaldo Pájaro, who is injured. In Barranquilla, Junior fans got into the training ground to protest about the results and damaged players' cars, El Tiempo reports; the club condemned the violence.

Monday 19 October

Deportivo Pasto v Alianza Valledupar (20:05 Bogotá time). At the Departamental Libertad. Deportivo Pasto are bottom with nine points from 12 matches and drew 0–0 with Fortaleza in their last match; their round 14 visit to Nacional is scheduled for Thursday 22 October. Alianza Valledupar are 15th on 12 and have the leakiest defence, with 26 goals conceded; they drew 2–2 with Águilas, with two goals on 90. The sides drew 0–0 in Valledupar in April 2026 and 3–3 in Pasto in October 2025.

Tuesday 20 October

Deportivo Pereira v Chicó (16:30 Bogotá time). Deportivo Pereira are 19th on 10 points, with one win and eight goals scored, the lowest total in the league; they come off two draws, 0–0 with Cali and 1–1 in Barranquilla. Chicó are 14th on 12 from 12 matches and lost 1–0 at home to Cúcuta. Chicó won 1–0 in Tunja in April 2026; the two previous meetings ended 1–1. Alexis Márquez is back in the Pereira dugout for his third spell at the club, after Arturo Reyes left by mutual agreement, according to El Tiempo and Infobae.

Internacional de Bogotá v Fortaleza (18:00 Bogotá time). At the Metropolitano de Techo. Internacional de Bogotá, 13th on 14 points from 14 matches, have eight draws, the most recent 2–2 in Barranquilla; Fortaleza, 17th on 11, have a single win and also eight draws. Internacional have not beaten Fortaleza in the last five meetings: they drew 1–1 in April 2026, and Fortaleza won the four before that, two of them 1–0 in 2025.

Cúcuta v Atlético Nacional (18:30 Bogotá time). At the General Santander. Cúcuta are ninth on 18 points, two behind eighth, and have won their last three matches, the most recent 1–0 in Tunja. Atlético Nacional are fourth on 23 from 11 matches, one or two fewer than the teams above them, and drew 0–0 with Tolima in their last league match; on Wednesday they beat Medellín 3–2 in the Copa Colombia. Cúcuta have not beaten Nacional in the last five meetings: they drew 0–0 in Medellín in April 2026, and Nacional won the other four, two in the 2025 Copa Colombia and two in the league, in 2019 and 2020. According to El Colombiano, Nacional, coached by Lucas González, first play a postponed match against Chicó on Saturday in Tunja, a trip James Rodríguez has not made, mainly to rest.

The table before the round

The top eight go through to the cuadrangulares. The teams have not all played the same number of matches: Nacional have played 11, and Millonarios, Tolima and Internacional 14.

1. América de Cali, 27 points (13 matches, +16)
2. Deportivo Cali, 25 (13, +11)
3. Bucaramanga, 24 (12, +10)
4. Atlético Nacional, 23 (11, +11)
5. Independiente Medellín, 23 (13, +4)
6. Santa Fe, 22 (12, +7)
7. Millonarios, 22 (14, +7)
8. Deportes Tolima, 20 (14, +1)
9. Cúcuta, 18 (13, −3)
10. Once Caldas, 16 (13, 0)
11. Águilas Doradas, 16 (13, −1)

At the bottom, Fortaleza (11 points from 13 matches), Jaguares (10 from 12), Pereira (10 from 13) and Pasto (9 from 12) fill the last four places.

Numbers to know

• Bucaramanga are still the only unbeaten side in the tournament, with six wins and six draws.
• América have scored 25 goals, the most; América and Cali have conceded nine, the fewest.
• Y. Guzmán (América) has 18 goals, one more than A. Estupiñán (Millonarios); L. Muriel (Junior) has 16.
• Alianza Valledupar have conceded 26 goals, the most; Pereira have scored eight, the fewest.

The full table and the kick-off times for the whole round are on the Liga BetPlay page.

Sources for the context: EFE via Infobae, El Tiempo, El Tiempo, El Tiempo, El País, El País, El Colombiano, El Colombiano, Infobae, Infobae.