América de Cali secured a seeded position for the Liga BetPlay 2026-2 cuadrangulares on Saturday after defeating Deportivo Pereira 2-0 at the Santiago de las Atalayas stadium in Yopal, Win Sports reported.
Tomás Ángel opened the scoring with a penalty conversion, and Edson Tortolero added the second goal with a finish between the goalkeeper’s legs. The victory lifted the squad known as los escarlatas back into second place in the standings, a position solidified when Deportivo Cali drew against Deportes Tolima.
The fixture in Yopal brought professional football to the Casanare department for the first time, drawing an expected attendance of around 8,000 fans, according to reports from Prensa Libre Casanare. Governor César Ortiz Zorro and Indercas director Rubiel Vargas Pinto helped organize the match ahead of the club’s upcoming centennial celebrations.
“Será una verdadera fiesta del fútbol en paz, para disfrutar en familia y que, además, dinamizará la economía y beneficiará a hoteles, restaurantes, comerciantes y diferentes sectores de Yopal,” Ortiz Zorro said, as published by Prensa Libre Casanare.
The fixture proceeded despite severe off-field turbulence for Deportivo Pereira, which finished the tournament eliminated from the final phase and facing relegation concerns for 2027, Revista Semana noted. The club announced that the company Empresarios Full CCI Dubái Colombia S.A.S. will begin disbursing unpaid salaries on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, following a formal patrimonial rights cession agreement represented by Albeiro Peña.
“Al respecto, durante una comunicación sostenida en el día de hoy con el abogado Cristian Guevara, asesor jurídico del señor Peña, se informó que el próximo martes, 17 de noviembre, a las 10:00 a. m., se realizará el primer desembolso,” Deportivo Pereira said in an official release cited by Revista Semana.
Hours before kickoff, the Colombian Association of Professional Footballers (ACOLFUTPRO) backed a planned strike by Deportivo Pereira players due to repeated non-payment of wages, though the match ultimately took place as scheduled, ESPN Deportes reported. ACOLFUTPRO demanded full respect for player labor rights.
“ACOLFUTPRO respalda la decisión de los futbolistas y exigimos el respeto de sus derechos laborales y el pago oportuno de las obligaciones adeudadas,” the association announced in a statement detailed by ESPN Deportes.
The win gives América de Cali the vital second-place finish and associated seeding advantages for the upcoming semifinal groups. Mientras tanto, el Deportivo Pereira se mueve en medio de la crisis y confirmó a unos inversores que ayudarán a pagar los salarios de sus jugadores.
