The Colombian football league, Liga BetPlay 2025-II, has reached a fever pitch as Round 17 concluded on October 26, 2025, and the race for the coveted semifinal quadrangular spots tightened dramatically. The weekend’s action delivered a cascade of drama, upsets, and goals, leaving fans with plenty to debate and anticipate as only three regular-season games remain for each side. With six teams effectively punching their tickets to the next phase and at least eight more still mathematically alive, the league is set for a heart-stopping finish.
Arguably, the headline act of the round was the Antioquian classic between Atlético Nacional and Deportivo Independiente Medellín. This storied rivalry rarely disappoints, but this time, it produced fireworks of historic proportions. Atlético Nacional, the Verdolaga, stormed to a 5-2 victory over their crosstown rivals in a match that saw six goals in a blistering first half. According to multiple sources, Marino Hinestroza was the star of the show, netting twice, while Andrés Sarmiento, Andrés Felipe Román, and William Tesillo also found the back of the net for Nacional. For Medellín, Francisco Fydriszewski and Francisco Chaverra (from the penalty spot) provided some consolation, but it was not enough to stop Nacional from sealing their spot in the quadrangulars and drawing level with Medellín on 31 points.
“The classic was everything we hoped for and more,” one commentator noted, capturing the electric mood in the stadium. The stakes were high—not just for local bragging rights but also for positioning in the playoff race. Now, both Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín sit tied at 31 points, just three behind current leaders Atlético Bucaramanga, who have 34 points and a healthy +16 goal difference. The two Antioquian giants have already qualified for the next phase, but their battle now shifts to securing a top-two finish, which would grant them a valuable sporting advantage in the semifinals.
The rest of the round was no less eventful. Águilas Doradas made headlines of their own by thrashing Deportivo Pereira 5-1 at the Hernán Ramírez Villegas stadium. The match, however, was overshadowed by controversy: Pereira fielded an under-20 squad after a payment dispute led the professional team to boycott. Christian Cadavid, Jorge Obregón, Santiago Mosquera (own goal), Fabian Charales, and Javier Mena all scored for the visitors, while Ronaldiño Mosquera briefly gave Pereira hope by opening the scoring. The result boosted Águilas Doradas to eighth place with 24 points, keeping their qualification hopes alive.
Elsewhere, Alianza FC secured a 2-0 win over La Equidad in Valledupar, with goals from Jesus Muñoz and Edwin Torres. La Equidad’s woes were compounded by the expulsion of Juan David Valencia. Fortaleza CEIF also celebrated after beating Deportivo Pasto 2-0, thanks to an own goal by Santiago Jiménez and a strike from Andrés Arroyo, confirming Fortaleza’s place in the next phase.
América de Cali continued their late surge, edging Junior 2-1 in Palmira. Their goals came from an own goal by Yimmi Chará and a finish from Luis Ramos, while Bryan Castrillón scored for Junior. América’s recent run—three straight wins against Equidad, Cali, and Junior—has reignited their hopes, with a favorable schedule ahead against Boyacá Chicó and Envigado before a daunting finale against Medellín.
Boyacá Chicó’s Jairo Molina was the hero in a 2-0 win over Envigado, notching a brace at minutes 62 and 81. The match ended on a sour note for the visitors, as Nicolás Valencia was sent off in stoppage time. Deportes Tolima, meanwhile, edged Deportivo Cali 2-1 with goals from Marlon Torres and Adrián Parra, pushing Tolima to the brink of mathematical qualification.
In Santander, Atlético Bucaramanga cemented their status as league leaders, defeating Llaneros 2-0 with goals from Luciano Pons and Francisco Meza. Bucaramanga now sits atop the table with 34 points, their spot in the quadrangulars secured, and their eyes firmly on a top-two finish. Llaneros, meanwhile, cling to seventh place with 25 points and are very much in the thick of the playoff chase.
The round’s final act saw Millonarios snatch a dramatic 1-0 win over Santa Fe, courtesy of Cristian Cañozales’ goal deep into injury time (90+7’), despite playing with ten men after Dewar Victoria’s red card. The victory keeps Millonarios’ hopes flickering, as they now have 21 points and a favorable run-in, though their struggles against lower-ranked teams this season have been well documented.
With three rounds to go, the standings are a logjam: Bucaramanga leads with 34 points, followed by Nacional, Medellín, Junior, and Fortaleza all on 31 points. Tolima is close behind with 29, while Llaneros (25), Águilas Doradas (24), América de Cali (23), Alianza FC (23), Santa Fe (22), and Once Caldas (22) are all still in contention. Even Deportivo Cali (20), Deportivo Pereira (18), and Unión Magdalena (18) retain slim mathematical hopes, though time is running out.
The battle for the final two quadrangular spots is especially fierce. Águilas Doradas, currently eighth, have a 47% performance rate, which projects to about 28 points over 20 matches—the likely cutoff for qualification. Direct clashes among contenders loom large, including Cali vs. Alianza Valledupar and Millonarios vs. Once Caldas, matches that could swing the fate of several hopefuls.
Individual accolades are also in play. Francisco Fydriszewski of Independiente Medellín leads the league’s goal-scoring chart with ten goals, outpacing Carlos Lucumí (Alianza FC), Luciano Pons (Bucaramanga), and Yoshan Valois (Deportivo Pasto), who each have eight.
Looking ahead, Atlético Nacional faces Llaneros (away), Águilas Doradas (home), and Junior (away), while Medellín’s path features Bucaramanga (home), Pereira (away), and América de Cali (home). The schedule is relentless, and with so many direct matchups, the table could yet see dramatic shifts.
As the regular season winds down, the tension is palpable. Every goal, every save, and every decision could make the difference between a shot at the title and an early vacation. For now, the drama continues, and Colombian football fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
