Independiente Medellín get ready to welcome Once Caldas for something different than the ordinary league football: The Copa Betplay 3rd Round leg 1 of 2.
It's no vacation for neither Independiente Medellín nor Once Caldas as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.
Independiente Medellín form and stats
Last season their Copa Betplay adventure ended in the finals.Independiente Medellín have collected 1 point from their Primera A home games so far after 0-1-0. The Independiente Medellín fans aren't used to losing league-games here at Estadio Atanasio Girardot and will expect new points from this game. Independiente has played ten games in a row here without a defeat.
Independiente travelled for their previous game, a trip to Deportivo Cali that ended 0-0. Midfielder Juan Diaz was the best player on the team with a rating of 7.65 (out of ten) in that game. Diaz hit one key pass and had 32 successful passes (of 38 total). A painful moment in the game against Deportivo Cali was the missed penalty kick from Andrés Cadavid in the 77th minute. A goal there would obviously have changed the match and probably the outcome.
Preceding that game was the home draw versus Rionegro Aguilas that ended 1-1.The match schedule is unforgiving for Independiente as they have a new game in only three days, a Primera A match thankfully also at home. Junior are visiting.
At Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Independiente Medellín has the goal stats of 1-1 (for/against) from 1 league fixture.
Once Caldas form and stats
Caldas's mission in Copa Betplay last season failed in the 3rd round.Playing away, Once Caldas have won 0 games, drawn 1 and suffered 0 defeats in the Primera A this season. The loyal fans travelling with their beloved Caldas have enjoyed the stadium food more than the matches as the visitors have gone twelve consecutive matches without winning on the road. The last time three points were secured away was the Deportes Tolima game.
Caldas has to pack their bags again for the second away game in a row. Last time they traveled to Jaguares de Cordoba for a Primera A game that ended a draw (1-1). Midfielder Robert Mejía was the best performer of that match, with a rating of 7.3. Mejía hit two key passes and had 45 successful passes (of 53 total). As mentioned above, Caldas drew the match against Jaguares de Cordoba. Manager E. Lara Lozano brought on Mender García to rescue the draw from a losing position and it worked.
Before that, Caldas secured a home win against Atletico Huila with the score 1-0.The visitors are returning home after this fixture, hosting Millonarios in just four days.
It's early days yet, but Once Caldas has scored 1 and conceded 1 goals from their travels in the league so far (1 game).
Head 2 Head
H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Independiente Medellín two wins, four draws and Once Caldas four victories. As for goals, four matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), six games had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  A. Vuletich 8 goals |   M. García Torres 5 goals | J. Reina Calvo 3 goals |
Independiente Medellín missing players
Once Caldas missing players
| Independiente Medellín | Once Caldas | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 12 | Played | P | 14 | 25 | ||
| 9 | 4 | Won | W | 2 | 7 | ||
| 11 | 8 | Drew | D | 8 | 10 | ||
| 5 | 0 | Lost | L | 4 | 8 | ||
| 26 | 14 | Scored | S | 14 | 29 | ||
| 20 | 10 | Conceded | C | 18 | 28 | ||
| 84% | 83% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 79% | 84% | ||
| 60% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 71% | 68% | ||
| 32% | 33% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 29% | 32% | ||
| 8% | 17% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 29% | 24% | ||
| 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 7% | 8% | ||
| 48% | 67% | BTTS | BTTS | 57% | 52% | ||
| 40% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 29% | 32% | ||
| 28% | 17% | Failed to Score | F T | 36% | 32% | ||
| 4 | 4.2 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.1 | 4.2 | ||
| 4.7 | 4.7 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 3.5 | 5 | ||
| 2.4 | 2.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.8 | 2.2 | ||
| 3 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 3 | ||
| 5.2 | 5.9 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 5.8 | 6.9 | ||
| 2.7 | 3.4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.5 | 3.4 | ||
| 38% | 34% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 24% | 32% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | America de Cali | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 | Atlético Bucaramanga | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | Millonarios | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Atlético Nacional | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Deportivo Cali | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | Once Caldas | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Deportes Quindio | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Alianza Petrolera | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | Deportes Tolima | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | Junior | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 11 | Independiente Medellín | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Atletico Huila | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| 13 | Envigado | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| 14 | Patriotas Boyaca | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 15 | Rionegro Aguilas | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
| 16 | Jaguares de Cordoba | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 17 | Deportivo Pereira | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 18 | La Equidad | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 19 | Santa Fe | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
| 20 | Deportivo Pasto | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 |