Football in Valledupar is a different beast. If you haven't been to the Estadio Armando Maestre Pavajeau, you probably don't realize how the humid, 30-degree air changes the game. It’s thick. It’s heavy. And for a team like Once Caldas—the historic "Blanco Blanco" from the high-altitude, chilly city of Manizales—playing Alianza Valledupar FC vs Once Caldas is always a physical nightmare.
Most people look at the table and see two mid-tier teams. They’re wrong. This matchup is a clash of identities. On one side, you have the young, relocated Alianza FC, trying to build a legacy in the land of Vallenato. On the other, the 2004 Copa Libertadores champions, a club with a trophy cabinet that commands respect but a recent history of frustrating inconsistency.
The August Stalemate: A Tactical Chess Match
When these two met most recently in the Clausura, everyone expected goals. We got a 0-0 draw. Boring? Honestly, not at all. If you watched the tape, Alianza dominated the ball. They had 52% possession and fired 14 shots. But here’s the kicker: they only hit the target 6 times.
Once Caldas, managed by the veteran Hernán Darío "El Arriero" Herrera, sat deep. They were compact. They basically dared Alianza to break them down. It was a masterclass in "suffering" the match. Jerson Malagón and Jeider Riquett played like they had a point to prove, clearing everything that came within ten yards of the box.
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Key Moments You Might Have Missed
- Ayron Del Valle’s Frustration: The veteran striker, who has a history with Once Caldas, was kept on a short leash. Every time he turned, a white shirt was there.
- The Goalkeeping Heroics: James Aguirre for Once Caldas was the undisputed Man of the Match. He made four crucial saves, including a fingertip stop on a Jesus Muñoz long-range effort that was destined for the top corner.
- The Heat Factor: By the 70th minute, the pace slowed to a crawl. You could see the Once Caldas players constantly signaling for water. The "Vallenato" sun is their greatest enemy.
Why Alianza Valledupar is a Tough Out
Alianza isn't the same Alianza Petrolera we knew years ago. Since moving to Valledupar, they’ve leaned into the local culture. The fans are loud. The stadium is intimate. Hubert Bodhert has them playing a style that prioritizes width. They use Mayer Gil and Edwin Torres to stretch the pitch, hoping to create gaps for Del Valle or Carlos Lucumi.
But they have a glaring weakness. They can’t finish. Against Once Caldas, their Expected Goals (xG) was 1.23 compared to Once Caldas' measly 0.17. They should have won. They didn't. That’s the story of their 2025 season in a nutshell.
The Dayro Moreno Factor
You can't talk about Once Caldas without mentioning Dayro Moreno. He’s 40 years old. He’s the all-time leading scorer in Colombian league history. He’s also a lightning rod for attention.
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In the matches against Alianza, Dayro often looks isolated. He isn't sprinting past defenders anymore. He’s lurking. He’s waiting for that one mistake. In the 2024 Apertura, he buried a penalty against Alianza to help secure a 2-1 win in Manizales. In the return fixtures in the heat of Valledupar, however, his impact usually wanes as the match goes on.
Head-to-Head: By the Numbers
If you’re a betting person or just a stat nerd, the history here is surprisingly even.
- Total Wins: Alianza has 8 wins; Once Caldas has 7.
- The Draw King: They’ve drawn 11 times. It’s the most common result.
- Home Dominance: Alianza rarely loses to Once Caldas when playing at home. The altitude-to-sea-level transition is a real thing.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Apertura
The schedule for the 2026 season is already heating up. Alianza Valledupar FC vs Once Caldas is slated for February 8, 2026. This will be a Round 5 clash. By then, both teams will have integrated their new signings.
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Once Caldas has been active in the market, bringing in fresh legs to help "El Arriero" maintain his high-press system. Meanwhile, Alianza is looking for that clinical edge. They need a "killer" in the box. If they don't find one, expect more 0-0 or 1-1 results that leave the fans at the Armando Maestre Pavajeau feeling like they deserved more.
What to Watch For in the Next Match
- The First 15 Minutes: Alianza always tries to "blitz" teams early in the heat. If Once Caldas survives the first quarter-hour, their confidence grows.
- The Midfield Battle: Robert Mejia is the engine for Once Caldas. If Alianza’s Wiston Fernández and Fabian Mosquera can neutralize him, Once Caldas becomes one-dimensional.
- Substitutions: Watch how early Herrera uses his bench. He usually waits until the 60th minute, but in Valledupar, he might need to rotate sooner to keep the energy up.
Basically, this isn't a "Big Five" derby like Nacional vs. Medellín. But it’s a game of grit. It’s about who can survive the conditions and who blinks first. Honestly, it's one of the most underrated tactical battles in the BetPlay League.
If you're planning to follow the next match, focus on the wing play. Alianza's success lives and dies with their ability to get behind the fullbacks. For Once Caldas, it's all about that one moment of magic from Dayro or a set-piece header from Jerson Malagón.
Keep an eye on the injury reports as we approach February. Once Caldas has struggled with depth in the past, and any loss in the defensive line could be catastrophic against Alianza’s speed.