Santa Fe kept their hopes alive in the Clausura with a 2:0 win over Chibás on Saturday evening, the result keeping them in contention despite a match that never quite settled into rhythm. The home side took all three points at their own ground, though neither team produced anything resembling a spectacle. To be fair, this was a game decided by moments rather than dominance, and the scoreboard reflected that reality. By then, the visitors had already shown signs of struggling to find their footing.
H. Rodallega opened the scoring in the 54th minute, his strike finding the net after a period of patient build-up from the hosts. The breakthrough came after Chibás had weathered the early pressure, though Santa Fe's possession kept them in control. J. Palma turned the ball into his own net in the 76th minute to double the lead, and that essentially ended the contest. The visitors had chances to respond but could not muster a response, and the goal difference would prove significant.
The match saw several changes as both managers looked to shift the balance. K. D. Toscano Bassa came on for Santa Fe in the 46th minute, while Chibás made four substitutions including I. Camargo and Y. Cabrera. D. A. Ramirez Raigosa was substituted off in the 90th minute after receiving a yellow card in the 87th. N. Bustos had already been booked for the home side in the 40th minute, and the disciplinary count remained level at one card apiece.
The statistics told a story of control without penetration. Santa Fe held 57 per cent possession and registered 111 attacks, yet created zero big chances and recorded an expected goals figure of just 0.93. They fired 3 shots on target from 6 inside the penalty area, with only 38 per cent accuracy across all attempts. Chibás managed 79 attacks and two big chances, but their expected goals of 0.79 did not translate into meaningful pressure on the goalkeeper.
The result leaves Santa Fe seventh on 19 points from 19 games, while Chibás remain bottom of the table on 17 points. The visitors have now lost 12 of 19 matches this season, and Saturday's defeat extends that run of poor form. Santa Fe's recent results have been more encouraging, with wins over Unión Magdalena and Caracas among their last five outings. This victory keeps them within touching distance of the play-off places, though the gap remains narrow.
