Deportivo Cali and Santa Fe will play this Sunday to advance to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores Femenina and, if they qualify, they will reissue in that instance of the tournament the final of the local League, in which the sugar companies won their second title, on August 16.
According to the criteria of
But, to get there, the two Colombian representatives in the tournament will have to overcome two tough rivals, with recent history against the other Colombian team. Cali will face Alianza Lima, from Peru, and the lionesses will play against Dragonas, the women’s team of Independiente del Valle.
The Peruvian champion, who will play on Sunday against Santa Fe (3:30 pm), has just faced Deportivo Cali in the group stage, in the second presentation of both clubs in the tournament, with a 2-1 victory for the Colombians. However, Alianza took second place in group D, with two victories: they beat Santiago Morning, from Chile, 2-0, and Guaraní, from Paraguay, 3-0.
The team led by Chilean José Antonio Letelier has a Colombian quota on its roster: the creative midfielder is consolidated as a starter Angie Castaneda, 26 years old, with time in Colombia for Santa Fe, Millonarios, Junior and Equidad and with the absolute selection process: he was part of the roster that was runner-up in the Copa América in 2022. He also had a three-year time in Spain, in the Cacereño.
Along with her is the experienced Kena Romero, also with time for the Colombian National Team, in the 2011 Pan American Games. In the Colombian League he passed through Tolima and Santa Fe and has just arrived in Peru from Millonarios, where he played the last two seasons.
Dragonas, with Colombians on the field and on the bench
Independiente del Valle, the rival of Deportivo Cali (Sunday at 6 pm), has also made its progress in women’s soccer. Dragonas had been third on two occasions and runners-up in 2022 and 2023 and this year they were crowned champions for the first time on September 21, when they won the final 5-0 on aggregate against Barcelona (0-1 in the first leg and 4-0 in the return.
Independiente del Valle’s qualification to the quarterfinals was surprising. They came from drawing 1-1 with Ferroviaria and losing 1-0 with Santa Fe. But on the last day they defeated Peñarol 2-0 and took second place, thanks to the tie between the lionesses and the Brazilians, two-time champions of the tournament.
In Dragonas there is also a Colombian quota: they are in the lead Karen Paez, champion in the Colombian League with Huila in 2018 and with a past in Cúcuta and Millonarios. He arrived in Ecuador in 2020 to play with Ñañas and, after a stint in India, he arrived at Independiente del Valle, now directed by the Colombian Gustavo Pineda, ex-technician of America.