Fortaleza saw off Cucuta Deportivo 2:0 in the Clausura round four of the Colombian Primera A on Saturday evening. The hosts took all three points at home, though the match itself offered little in the way of clear-cut drama. A single goal separated the sides, and even that came late in the game. To be fair, the result tells only half the story of what happened on the pitch.
R. D. Rivas Torres gave Fortaleza the lead in the 71st minute, and that proved to be enough. There was a chance to add a second in stoppage time when Thomas Wilke headed in, but the goal was ruled out for offside after VAR review. The hosts held on through a stretch of yellow cards, with Herrera, Torres, Pico and Ochoa all booked. By then, the game had settled into a careful rhythm.
Fortaleza controlled possession at 54 per cent and created more from open play, registering three big chances compared to Cucuta's one. The visitors looked more dangerous on the counter, with expected goals of 1.38 to 0.78, but their shooting accuracy of 29 per cent meant chances went begging. Both keepers made five saves, which says something about the quality of opportunities on offer. The hosts were more efficient, hitting the target seven times from eight shots inside the box.
Substitutions came thick and fast in the second half, with six changes between the 60th and 81st minutes. Cucuta brought on Mejia, Velasquez, Torres, Ceballos, Herrera and Solis in quick succession, clearly looking for something different. Fortaleza made fewer alterations, keeping their shape and waiting for the right moment. The visitors tried to raise the tempo, but the hosts pinned them back effectively.
Fortaleza sit 15th with 22 points from 19 games, three wins and seven draws. Cucuta are bottom of the table with just 16 points and nine defeats. The hosts had drawn their previous meeting 0:0 in May, so this result shifts the balance considerably. They cannot afford another slip if they want to climb away from the relegation zone.