Independiente Santa Fe visits Unión Magdalena at the Estadio Sierra Nevada in Santa Marta for the return leg of the Copa BetPlay Phase 1B tie.
The First-Leg Advantage and Context
Santa Fe enters the match holding a 2-0 aggregate lead following the first leg played on August 5 at Estadio El Campín in Bogotá. Goals from Franco Fagúndez and Luis Palacios secured the home victory for the team managed by Pablo Repetto. The fixture was delayed by nearly two months due to Santa Fe’s commitments in the Copa Sudamericana.
Unión Magdalena looks to overcome the two-goal deficit on home soil to secure a spot in the round of 16, where a single-leg matchup against Fortaleza awaits the winner. The samario squad sits at the bottom of the Torneo BetPlay standings with seven points from eight matches, despite a recent away win against Patriotas.
Roster Management and Standings Implications
Pablo Repetto confirmed that Santa Fe will rest key players Hugo Rodallega, Iván Scarpeta, and Jhojan Torres for the trip to Santa Marta. The Bogotá club currently occupies eighth place in the Liga BetPlay table following a home defeat against Deportivo Cali, remaining precariously positioned at the edge of the playoff qualification zone after previously defeating Alianza Valledupar.
Unión Magdalena remains four points adrift of the top eight in the second-tier Torneo BetPlay standings, forcing the club to balance a difficult league campaign with their Copa BetPlay elimination battle against top-flight opposition.
Match Schedule and Global Broadcast Times
The decisive Copa BetPlay Phase 1B encounter takes place on Friday, September 25, at Estadio Sierra Nevada in Santa Marta. Kickoff is set for 6:00 P.M. local time in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Additional regional start times include 5:00 P.M. in Mexico, 7:00 P.M. in Bolivia, Chile, and Venezuela, and 8:00 P.M. in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
