Atlético Nacional Beats Deportivo Pasto 3-0 to Claim Liga BetPlay Lead Thanks to Edwin Cardona’s Stunner

Atlético Nacional took over first place in the Liga BetPlay standings following a 3-0 win over Deportivo Pasto at the Atanasio Girardot, as reported by AS Colombia. The result moved the Medellín club level on 29 points with Deportivo Cali, though Nacional claimed the summit on goal difference. Meanwhile, Deportivo Pasto remained at the bottom of the table with nine points after 14 matches, according to league data cited by Noticias Caracol.

Cardona Opens Scoring With Midfield Strike

The breakthrough arrived in the 13th minute when midfielder Juan Manuel Zapata recovered possession in his own half and distributed the ball to Edwin Cardona. Positioned near the center circle, Cardona surveyed the pitch and unleashed a right-footed shot that sailed over the head of Deportivo Pasto goalkeeper Geovanni Banguera directly into the net.

The strike echoed similar goals in Cardona’s career. El Tiempo noted that the midfielder previously scored from his own half against Deportivo Pasto on April 29, 2025, and netted a similar long-distance effort against Boyacá Chicó on January 16, 2026. During the broadcast on Win Sports, opposing player Diego Chávez offered congratulations to Cardona, while national team player James Rodríguez watched from an executive box at the Atanasio Girardot and celebrated the goal.

José Escorcia Scores First Professional Goal

Nacional capitalized on its possession early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, defender César Haydar maneuvered past Nicolás Gil near the corner flag and delivered a pass into the penalty area. Following a series of deflections, the ball fell to youth-system product José Escorcia, who finished with his left foot to score his first professional goal for the club, as detailed by El Colombiano.

Deportivo Pasto sought an equalizer before halftime when Enrique Serje found space inside the penalty area facing goalkeeper Franco Armani, but failed to control the ball cleanly. In the closing moments of the match, substitute Juan Manuel Rengifo dribbled past several defenders near the edge of the box and curled a right-footed shot past Banguera to finalize the 3-0 scoreline in the 90th minute.

Atlético Nacional Matches Deportivo Cali for First Place

With the three points secured, Atlético Nacional reached 29 points from 14 matches, matching Deportivo Cali at the top of the Liga BetPlay table while holding a superior goal difference of plus-16 compared to Cali’s plus-14. América de Cali sits in third position with 28 points, according to the standings published by Noticias Caracol following the round 14 fixtures.

Deportivo Pasto remained rooted in 20th place with nine points from 14 games, holding a goal difference of minus-13. Following the midweek fixture, Atlético Nacional prepares to face Independiente Medellín in the departmental clásico on Sunday, while Deportivo Pasto travels to face Deportes Tolima.

More on this story: Atlético Nacional 4-1 Boyacá Chicó: Rescheduled Match Secures Victory · Atlético Nacional leads Independiente Medellín in Copa BetPlay

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