Liga BetPlay II round 18 preview: the América v Cali clásico and the fight for eighth place

It is the penultimate round of the league phase of the Liga BetPlay II, and all ten matches take place, from Friday 6 to Monday 9 November. The leaders, Atlético Nacional, on 36 points, host Deportivo Pereira on Saturday; that same night, América de Cali, second on 35, and Deportivo Cali, third on 33, play the clásico, the pick of the round. The top two reach the cuadrangulares as group seeds. Further down, Águilas Doradas hold eighth place on 25 points, one more than Once Caldas and Cúcuta, and Águilas and Once Caldas meet on Saturday in Manizales.

Friday 6 November

Chicó v Internacional de Bogotá (18:00 Colombia time). At La Independencia in Tunja. Chicó, 17th on 16 points, lost 2–0 in Cali on Sunday and, according to Infobae, were the first team relegated this year. Internacional de Bogotá, 12th on 20, have not played since 28 October, when they beat Medellín 3–1. Internacional won 4–0 at home in April 2026; in August 2025 the sides drew 0–0 in Tunja.

Fortaleza v Independiente Medellín (20:00 Colombia time). At the Metropolitano de Techo. Fortaleza are bottom on 12 points, with only one win in 17 matches, and nine draws; on Monday they lost 1–0 away to Águilas to a goal from A. Ricaurte on 78. Independiente Medellín, seventh on 26, came from behind to beat Alianza Valledupar 2–1 on Sunday, with goals from D. Cataño on 45 and J. Martínez on 87. Medellín won the last four meetings, all at home, the most recent 1–0 in the Copa Colombia in May 2026.

Saturday 7 November

Once Caldas v Águilas Doradas (16:05 Colombia time). At the Palogrande. Once Caldas, ninth on 24 points, beat Alianza Valledupar 1–0 in the league and Santa Fe 2–0 in the Copa Colombia; D. Moreno has 16 goals. Águilas, eighth on 25, won their last two matches without conceding, 2–0 in Cúcuta and 1–0 against Fortaleza. Infobae sees it as a key match, because defeat would all but eliminate one of the two. In April 2026 the sides drew 2–2 at Águilas' ground, and in August 2025 1–1 in Manizales.

Atlético Nacional v Deportivo Pereira (18:10 Colombia time). At the Atanasio Girardot. Nacional lead on 36 points and are the top scorers, with 33; on Monday they drew 1–1 in Bucaramanga, with a penalty from E. Cardona on 7, and A. Morelos has 14 goals. Pereira, 15th on 17, lost 3–1 to Tolima in Yopal on Tuesday, with all four goals in the first half. Pereira won the last two meetings at home, 1–0 in April 2026 and 2–1 in July 2025; in Medellín, Nacional won 3–0 in February 2025.

América de Cali v Deportivo Cali (20:15 Colombia time). At the Pascual Guerrero, according to El Colombiano. América, second on 35 points, drew 0–0 with Millonarios at El Campín on Wednesday and have lost only two matches; Y. Guzmán is the league's top scorer with 20. Deportivo Cali, third on 33, beat Chicó 2–0 with goals from C. Bacca on 32 and J. Dinenno on 79, despite Nicolás Benedetti being sent off on 59; they have the best defence, with ten goals conceded, and have also lost only two. Their coach, Rafael Dudamel, told El País that Benedetti would miss the clásico, "a very important player for us", and that the aim is to finish first; Semana adds that Eduard Bello will be absent because he has been called up by Venezuela. América's coach, David González, told El País that his team arrive "fully motivated". Cali won the clásico in April 2026, 1–0 at home; in October 2025 América won 2–0 away, and in September 2025 the sides drew 0–0.

Sunday 8 November

Santa Fe v Deportivo Pasto (14:00 Colombia time). At El Campín, according to El Colombiano. Santa Fe, fifth on 28 points, have lost their last three matches: 2–0 to Nacional, 2–0 to Once Caldas in the Copa and 1–0 in Cúcuta on Wednesday. H. Rodallega has 14 goals. Deportivo Pasto, 18th on 15, beat Jaguares 2–0 on Tuesday. Santa Fe won 2–1 in Pasto in April 2026, and both meetings in 2025 ended 1–1.

Jaguares v Bucaramanga (16:05 Colombia time). At the Jaraguay in Montería. Jaguares, 19th on 13, lost 2–0 in Pasto, have the worst defence, with 31 goals conceded, and according to Infobae have already been relegated. Bucaramanga, fourth on 29, drew 1–1 with Nacional with a penalty from L. Pons on 75; Pons has 15 goals. Bucaramanga are unbeaten in the last five meetings; the most recent, in April 2026, ended 2–2.

Deportes Tolima v Millonarios (18:10 Colombia time). At the Manuel Murillo Toro. Deportes Tolima, 11th on 23 points, two behind eighth place, won 3–1 in Yopal with two goals from L. Sánchez and one from E. Valencia before the 19th minute. Millonarios, sixth on 27, drew 0–0 with América and have nine draws; they have lost two matches and A. Estupiñán has 19 goals. According to Infobae, Millonarios could secure their place with a win in Ibagué, and for Tolima it is their last chance. Millonarios won 2–0 at home in April 2026; in Ibagué, Tolima won 3–1 in August 2025.

Alianza Valledupar v Llaneros (20:15 Colombia time). At the Armando Maestre Pavajeau. Alianza Valledupar, 14th on 18, lost 2–1 in Medellín. Llaneros, 13th on 20, beat Junior 3–2 with a penalty from N. Ospina on 80. Valledupar are unbeaten in the three meetings: they won 1–0 away in April 2025 and 3–1 at home in September 2025, and drew 0–0 away in April 2026.

Monday 9 November

Junior v Cúcuta (19:00 Colombia time). At the Romelio Martínez in Barranquilla, according to El Colombiano. Junior, 16th on 16 points, lost 3–2 to Llaneros in Villavicencio; L. Muriel has 16 goals. Cúcuta, tenth on 24, beat Santa Fe 1–0 on Wednesday, a result that according to Infobae secured their survival, and are a point off eighth place; with a goal difference of −5, Infobae reckons they need to win by several goals. In April 2026 the sides drew 1–1 in Cúcuta.

The table before the round

The top eight go through to the cuadrangulares, and the top two are group seeds. Every team has played 17 matches and two rounds remain.

1. Atlético Nacional, 36 points (+19)
2. América de Cali, 35 (+19)
3. Deportivo Cali, 33 (+16)
4. Bucaramanga, 29 (+9)
5. Santa Fe, 28 (+5)
6. Millonarios, 27 (+10)
7. Independiente Medellín, 26 (0)
8. Águilas Doradas, 25 (+2)
9. Once Caldas, 24 (+3)
10. Cúcuta, 24 (−5)
11. Deportes Tolima, 23 (+1)
12. Internacional de Bogotá, 20 (−2)
13. Llaneros, 20 (−4)

Nacional, América and Cali can no longer finish outside the top eight, as Infobae also calculates: with six points to play for, only three other teams can reach 33. From 14th down, none can reach Águilas' 25, so seven teams are already out: Alianza Valledupar, Pereira, Junior, Chicó, Pasto, Jaguares and Fortaleza. Relegation is decided by the promedio, and according to Infobae it is already settled: Chicó and Jaguares go down, and they face Internacional and Bucaramanga this round.

Numbers to know

• Y. Guzmán (América) has 20 goals, one more than A. Estupiñán (Millonarios); D. Moreno (Once Caldas) and L. Muriel (Junior) have 16, and L. Pons (Bucaramanga) 15.
• Nacional have scored 33 goals and América 31, the two highest-scoring attacks.
• Cali have conceded ten goals, the fewest; Jaguares 31, the most.
• Fortaleza have only one win in 17 matches.

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

Sources for the context: El País, El País, El Colombiano, Semana, Infobae, Infobae, Infobae.