Once Caldas confirmed their dominance in the Copa Sudamericana by thrashing San Antonio Bulo Bulo 4-0 this Wednesday in the second leg of the playoff, closing the series with a 7-0 aggregate score. With this convincing victory, the Colombian team qualified for the Round of 16, where they will face Argentine club Huracán.

Total domination in Manizales

The match played at the Palogrande stadium was controlled from the start by Once Caldas, who imposed their rhythm and showed superiority against a rival who barely threatened. At the 5th minute, the Bolivians tried to surprise with a free kick by Julio Herrera that just went over the goal defended by James Aguirre.

However, it was the home team who quickly opened the scoring. In a fast play down the left flank, fullback Juan Patiño sent a cross that Uruguayan goalkeeper Luca Giossa could only palm away, but the ball ended up heading to Michael Barrios, who headed it in to give his team the lead.

Once Caldas kept up the pressure and, just six minutes later, a cross from Barrios on the right found Mateo Zuleta all alone, who calmly finished to increase the lead and practically seal the tie.

During the first half, veteran Dayro Moreno led the Colombian team's attacks, creating several scoring opportunities but lacked precision in finishing. Meanwhile, the Bolivian team struggled to find depth or clear ideas to reduce the score.

In the second half, the pace slowed down a bit and San Antonio Bulo Bulo tried to get closer, but their midfielders, including Herrera, Santiago Arce, and Adalid Terrazas, failed to connect effectively. On the other hand, goalkeeper Giossa was the visitors’ standout player with several saves that prevented an even larger defeat.

Once Caldas sealed the match with goals from Felipe Gómez, who scored the 3-0 at 85 minutes with a powerful shot from the edge of the area, and Déinner Quiñones, who netted the 4-0 in injury time with a precise shot to the top corner after a lethal counterattack.

With this overwhelming win, the Colombian team now looks forward to facing Huracán in the next phase of the Copa Sudamericana, confident in maintaining their strong form and continuing their progression in the continental tournament.