Real Cartagena ran riot at the Estadio Municipal with a 6-1 demolition of Leones in the sixth round of the Clausura. The visitors, sitting top of Primera B with 50 points from 29 games, paid for a sloppy opening by conceding early, but then seized control with a ruthlessness that left Leones' supporters staring at the scoreboard in disbelief. Leones, meanwhile, languish in 13th place with just 18 points from 21 matches and nothing to show for their efforts.
C. Rodriguez Cespedes gave the home side a lifeline in the tenth minute, a moment that mattered more to the crowd than the eventual scoreline. To be fair, Cartagena responded within eight minutes through E. Lopez, and by then the complexion of the game had shifted. J. Aleman scored for Leones in the thirty-fifth minute, but F. Montero answered before the break, and Barrera added a penalty just before half-time to put the visitors 4-1 up.
And here's the thing about matches like these — the turning point isn't always clear until you watch it again. Montero struck again in the sixtieth minute, running riot in a way that suggested Leones' defence had simply given up. Manotas added a late eighth goal in the eighty-ninth, but the damage was done long before that. Cartagena had been dominant from set pieces all afternoon, something you notice when you're not watching the camera.
The statistics tell a story that doesn't quite match the drama. Both sides registered six shots on target, but Cartagena's five2 per cent possession edge and their ability to finish what they created separated them. Leones had more attacks at 87 to 85, more corners at nine to three, but attacks without conversion are just noise. Yellow cards piled up — five in total — suggesting frustration, but the result was settled well before the final whistle.
Cartagena extend their lead at the summit, while Leones' recent form — two draws and a win in their last five — offers little comfort. The visitors had already beaten Bogota 2-0 away before this, so this wasn't a fluke. Leones now face a long road back from 13th, and if this match was any indication, the climb will be steep.
