South American football delivered high drama this weekend, with title races heating up, historic clubs celebrating triumphs, and giants suffering shocking setbacks. From Medellín to Lima and beyond, the continent’s top leagues and cups saw pivotal moments that could shape the remainder of the season.
Clásico Paisa Triumph Revitalizes Atlético Nacional in Liga BetPlay Dimayor
While El Clásico in Spain and the Clásico Capitalino in Bogotá drew attention, it was the Clásico Paisa—the fierce, but peaceful Medellín derby between Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín (DIM)—that stole the weekend. Nacional exploded for four first-half goals and cruised to a 5-2 victory, reigniting their title-seeking campaign in the Liga BetPlay Dimayor.
The Poderosas entered the match in second place but dropped to fourth after the loss. Meanwhile, Atlético Nacional—still reeling from their Copa Libertadores exit and the sacking of manager Javier Gandolfi—jumped to second under interim coach Diego Arias. That position is critical: the top two teams in Colombia’s regular season earn an “invisible point” advantage in the playoff group stage, giving them a tiebreaker edge if needed to reach the final.
Playing at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot, which they share with DIM, as the home team for this game, Nacional responded to the passionate support of Los del Sur with a statement performance. As Colombia’s most decorated club and the league’s highest-spending side, expectations are always sky-high—and this win reminded everyone they remain a force in Medellín and beyond. The ambiance of the game was met equally by the performance of the players.
Marino Hinestroza Powers Atlético Nacional to Victory
Marino Hinestroza, one of Colombia’s brightest young talents, led the charge. At just 23, the winger is already a potential selection for the national team and a strong candidate for the 2026 World Cup squad. After stints with Pachuca in Mexico and a brief spell in MLS with Columbus Crew, Hinestroza has found a place to showcase his talents at Nacional, helping the club secure three trophies in 2024–25 and reach the Libertadores knockout stage. His pace, aura, and creativity have drawn interest from Brazilian clubs and possibly for a move to Europe or Saudi Arabia, though consistency remains a work in progress.
Against DIM, Hinestroza was clinical, netting a first-half brace against a shaky defense. Argentine Francisco Fydriszewski pulled one back for DIM with a stunning strike, and Francisco Chaverra converted a late penalty after a handball in the box, but DIM’s defensive errors proved too costly to overcome. Andrés Sarmiento and Andres Felipe Román—another Colombian international hopeful—added quickfire first half goals to build Nacional’s commanding lead.
In the second half, a free kick from struggling veteran playmaker Edwin Cardona set up William Tesillo for Nacional’s fifth goal. The 5-2 final score sent Verdolaga fans home elated, with their team now in second place on goal differential with three regular-season matches remaining.
Three Matches Remain Until Colombia’s Dimayor Playoffs
Atlético Bucaramanga continues to lead the table with 34 points, powered by Argentine duo Luciano Pons (14 goals, 3 assists) and Fabián Sambueza (11 goal involvements). But the race for the remaining playoff spots is wide open.
Junior de Barranquilla, DIM, and Fortaleza CEIF—all on 31 points—are separated only by goal difference behind Nacional. Deportes Tolima (29 points) appears safe, but the final two playoff berths are up for grabs. Llaneros (25), Águilas Doradas (24), Alianza (23), defending champions Santa Fe (22), Dayro Moreno’s Once Caldas (22), and Millonarios (21) all still harbor realistic hopes. Even 14th-place Deportivo Cali has won five games this season in a remarkably balanced league.
Millonarios, a team with angry fans, kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a late winner over Santa Fe in the Bogotá derby (Clásico Capitalino) on the weekend, though both historic clubs are underperforming compared to last season, and Santa Fe appear far removed from their championship magic of a few months prior.
The Revival of América de Cali
América de Cali, Colombia’s second-most storied club, is surging after a rocky start. Now on a three-game winning streak, they’ve also reached the Copa Colombia semifinals—where they’ll face Atlético Nacional in a rivalry clash, and a rematch of the 2024 Cup Final that captivates the entry country, a cup final that Colombian sports broadcaster Win Sports made a unique documentary about. Financial struggles and early-season inconsistency threatened their campaign as they were participating in the Copa Sudamericana, but integrating younger players has paid dividends.
Peruvian forward Luis Ramos, 25, has been key with 12 goals and 2 assists across all competitions. Victories over local rivals Deportivo Cali in the Clásico Vallecaucano and against Junior have boosted their playoff chances significantly, and the odds may favor their entry into the final eight.
Meanwhile, Unión Magdalena and Envigado FC are already relegated from the first division. Envigado, long known as a talent incubator for Colombian football, remains alive in the Copa Colombia and will meet DIM in the other semifinal. Magdalena were failed by poor ownership.
With the league’s unique quad playoff format and a wide-open cup semifinal stage, the final stretch of Colombia’s 2025 season promises intense competition.
Universitario Are Three-Time Champions in Peru
In Peru, Club Universitario de Deportes—“Las Cremas”—secured their third consecutive Liga 1 title. The Lima giants, and the nation’s most supported club, who play in the 80,000-seat Estadio Monumental, have dominated under Uruguayan manager Jorge Fossati, going 12-3-0 in the Clausura and 24-6-3 over their last 33 matches in Peru’s Liga 1.
Striker Alex Valera, who had a brief stint with Saudi Pro League side Al Fateh, leads the attack with 17 goals across all competitions. The title also books Universitario a spot in the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
Lifelong Universitario supporter Paolo Cremidis, a Peruvian now living in the United States, summed up the mood: “It’s a stunning thing to watch Universitario become a powerhouse of talent development and three-time champions. I remember Los Cremas struggling with bankruptcy in the late ’90s. This is an international club now.”
Independiente Rivadavia Stun River Plate in Copa Argentina
In Argentina, Independiente Rivadavia pulled off a massive upset, eliminating River Plate in the Copa Argentina semifinals. The Mendoza-based club, held firm against 25 River shots before winning on penalties. Former Boca Juniors winger Sebastián Villa converted the decisive spot-kick.
The loss adds pressure on River manager Marcelo Gallardo, whose team was also knocked out of the Libertadores by Palmeiras and sits just fifth in their domestic group. As The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson recently noted, River’s current struggles mark a low for the Buenos Aires giant.
Coquimbo Unido Secure Libertadores Place in Chile
In Chile, Coquimbo Unido are on the verge of clinching their first-ever Primera División title—and have already secured a return to the Copa Libertadores for the first time since 1992. With five matches left, their lead looks insurmountable in the league table.
Argentines lead the charge: Bruno Cabrera anchors the defense and has chipped in five goals, Matías Palavecino has 15 goal involvements, and Nicolás Johansen has netted 10. Panamanian international Cecilio Waterman has also contributed 10 goals across competitions.
Flamengo Falters Ahead of Libertadores Semifinal Second Leg
As South American clubs prepare for continental semifinals, domestic results offered mixed signals. Atlético Mineiro defeated Ceará ahead of their Sudamericana clash with Independiente del Valle, while Universidad de Chile lost to rivals Universidad Católica before their second leg against Lanús.
LDU Quito postponed their domestic match to focus on their Libertadores semifinal against Palmeiras. The Brazilian leaders could only manage a draw with Cruzeiro—who moved within five points of the top with eight games left. Palmeiras still lead Brazil’s Brasileirão by one point over Flamengo, who suffered a damaging 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened Fortaleza.
Currently, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Cruzeiro, and surprise package Mirassol occupy the direct qualification spots for the 2026 Copa Libertadores—each boasting roughly half the losses of teams further down the table.
As the calendar turns toward November, South America’s football season is reaching its crescendo—with titles, continental berths, and legacies all on the line.
Main Photo Credit: Imago Images copyright: xDanielxGarzonxHerazox