Liga BetPlay II round 5 preview: Nacional host Santa Fe and América host Fortaleza in a week of postponed matches

This preview covers the eight matches of round 5 of the Liga BetPlay II being played from Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 October. The round was postponed because of the earthquake of 10 August, according to Deportes RCN, and only Llaneros v Tolima (1–2) and Millonarios v Deportivo Cali (1–1) were played in September; once it is finished, the regular season will be back up to date, with three rounds left. The one to watch is Thursday's match at the Atanasio Girardot, where the leaders, Atlético Nacional, host Santa Fe, who are sixth. Earlier on the same Thursday, América de Cali, second and a point behind, host Fortaleza, 18th, and on Tuesday Cúcuta, ninth, open the week against Águilas Doradas with eighth place, the last one that leads to the cuadrangulares, in sight.

Tuesday 27 October

Cúcuta v Águilas Doradas (18:00 Bogotá time). At the General Santander. Cúcuta are ninth on 21 points, the same as Once Caldas, who are eighth on goal difference; they lost 3–1 to América in Cali after four wins in a row, the latest 1–0 against Nacional. After that win, their coach, Nicolás Chiesa, told Blu Radio, as reported by Infobae, that the initial aim had been to avoid relegation, but that he had set himself ‘the objective of getting into the top eight’. Águilas, 11th on 19, lost 1–0 to Junior in Barranquilla. Águilas won 3–2 at home in February 2026 and 2–1 in November 2020; Cúcuta won 3–1 away in July 2019.

Chicó v Junior (20:05 Bogotá time). At La Independencia in Tunja. Chicó and Junior are level on 15 points, 16th and 15th. Chicó beat Bucaramanga 1–0 on Friday and have conceded 25 goals; Junior beat Águilas 1–0. Junior have won the last four meetings: 3–0 at home in February 2026, 2–0 at home in August 2025, 2–0 in Tunja in February 2025 and 2–1 at home in July 2024.

Wednesday 28 October

Once Caldas v Alianza Valledupar (18:00 Bogotá time). At the Palogrande. Once Caldas, eighth on 21 points from 16 matches, drew 1–1 at home to Pereira and are unbeaten in five. Alianza Valledupar, 12th on 18, have won their last two matches, 1–0 in Pasto and 1–0 against Internacional. Once Caldas won 1–0 at home in the Copa Colombia in September 2026; in the league the sides drew 1–1 in Valledupar in February 2026 and 0–0 in August 2025.

Internacional de Bogotá v Independiente Medellín (20:05 Bogotá time). At the Metropolitano de Techo. Internacional de Bogotá, 13th on 17 points from 16 matches, lost 1–0 in Valledupar. Independiente Medellín, seventh on 23, lost the derby 2–1 at the Atanasio Girardot and have lost three of their last five matches. Internacional won 2–1 in Medellín in February 2026; in August 2025 Medellín won 3–1 at home.

Thursday 29 October

América de Cali v Fortaleza (18:15 Bogotá time). At the Pascual Guerrero. América are second on 31 points, one fewer than Nacional from the same 15 matches, and beat Cúcuta 3–1 on Saturday; they have the second-best defence, with 11 goals conceded, one more than Cali. For the match against Cúcuta, Daniel Valencia, Adrián Ramos and Mateo Castillo were left out of the squad through injury, according to El País. Fortaleza, 18th on 12, drew 1–1 with Cali and have only one win in the tournament, with nine draws. América won 2–1 in Cota in April 2026; in September 2025 Fortaleza won 1–0 at home.

Atlético Nacional v Santa Fe (20:30 Bogotá time). At the Atanasio Girardot. Nacional lead on 32 points and have won their last two home matches, 3–0 against Pasto and 2–1 against Medellín in Sunday's derby. Edwin Cardona is suspended for the visit of Santa Fe after a yellow card in the derby, and Néider Parra went off injured, Infobae reports. Santa Fe, sixth on 25 from 14 matches, beat Jaguares 2–1 on Wednesday in a postponed round 7 match, and on Monday play another postponed match, from round 14, at home to Bucaramanga. Nacional won 2–1 in Bogotá in February 2026; before that, the sides drew 1–1 in Medellín in July 2025.

Friday 30 October

Deportivo Pereira v Jaguares (16:00 Bogotá time). At the Santiago de las Atalayas in Yopal. Deportivo Pereira, 17th on 14 points, drew 1–1 in Manizales and have drawn eight of their 15 matches. Jaguares are bottom on 10 from 14 matches, lost 2–1 to Santa Fe in Bogotá and have the worst defence, with 28 goals conceded; on Monday they host Llaneros in a round 16 match. Pereira won 1–0 at home in the Copa Colombia in May 2026; in the league, Jaguares won 1–0 at home in February.

Bucaramanga v Deportivo Pasto (20:05 Bogotá time). At the Américo Montanini. Bucaramanga, fifth on 25 points from 14 matches, have lost only once in the tournament, 1–0 in Tunja on Friday, and on Monday visit Santa Fe. Deportivo Pasto, 19th on 12, beat Tolima 1–0 in Ibagué on Sunday and have scored the fewest goals, ten. The sides drew 0–0 in Pasto in February 2026; in November 2025 Pasto won 3–0 at home, and in May 2025 Bucaramanga won 2–1 at home.

The table before Monday

The top eight go through to the cuadrangulares. The teams have not all played the same number of matches: Bucaramanga, Santa Fe and Jaguares have played 14; Cali, Millonarios, Once Caldas, Tolima and Internacional, 16.

1. Atlético Nacional, 32 points (15 matches, +17)
2. América de Cali, 31 (15, +18)
3. Deportivo Cali, 30 (16, +14)
4. Millonarios, 26 (16, +10)
5. Bucaramanga, 25 (14, +9)
6. Santa Fe, 25 (14, +7)
7. Independiente Medellín, 23 (15, +1)
8. Once Caldas, 21 (16, +2)
9. Cúcuta, 21 (15, −4)
10. Deportes Tolima, 20 (16, −1)
11. Águilas Doradas, 19 (15, −1)
12. Alianza Valledupar, 18 (15, −10)

At the bottom, Pereira (14 points), Fortaleza (12), Pasto (12) and Jaguares (10) occupy the last four places.

Numbers to know

• Nacional have scored 30 goals, the most, and América 29.
• Cali have conceded ten goals, the fewest; Jaguares, 28, the most.
• Pasto have scored ten goals, the fewest; Pereira, 11.
• Fortaleza have one win and nine draws from 15 matches; Pereira, eight draws.

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

Sources for the context: Deportes RCN, Infobae, Infobae, El País.