It was an early final and it was played like that, intensely from the whistle, in a vibrant stadium, packed to the rafters, and with a display of faith that ended up rewarding only one.
Independiente Santa Fe crowned its impeccable presentation in the home runs with a hard-fought 1-2 victory in Ibagué, which assured it a fair classification to the final of Liga Betplay I 2024.
He knew how to cultivate all the ‘cardinal’ from the effectiveness in definition and a defensive discipline that is already his seal in the championship and the harvest is a star that is within reach again, four years after that final that lost against América de Cali in the post-pandemic era.
Santa Fe worked on its classification from start to finish and the reality is that it was never at risk. Already in the first two minutes Rodallega and Chaverra warned Volpi, while the rival responded with a great mid-range shot from Nieto.
Rodríguez sent the ball into the hands of the goalkeeper shortly after and once again the distraction of the false 9 that was Nieto worried Mosquera Marmolejo, who luckily would be given peace of mind by his teammates in the front goal.
At 45 minutes, Agustín Rodríguez was attentive to the rebound and in a finish almost from the ground he achieved the 0-1 that assured his team in the grand final, with 16 points and a simply impeccable campaign.
And against that very defensive role that is assigned to Peirano’s team, the order in the complement was to sentence, just as Ortiz did at 56 minutes, by taking a perfect cross from Chaverra and beating Volpi for the second time, a blow that would be lethal for the hope and faith, which was not achieved despite the effervescence of the Tolima fans.
Agüero would leave in the midst of tears due to injury (one more) and it was the dramatic part of a classification that was always safe, beyond the opportunity that Mosquera decisively denied to Hernández and which seemed like an own goal by Ramírez, in his attempt to avoid the definition of Mera, who was given the 1-2 discount in the 79th minute.
They dreamed of Ibagué, because in the end that is free. But there would be nothing to do with the efficient team that Peirano put together in Santa Fe and that ended up being a red party in someone else’s house, one that will close in El Campín, with the confidence of a fan dedicated to his team, who longs for the star and he knows that he can fight it hand to hand against Bucaramanga. He roared the lion with a bell. Only the final stitch is missing.
