Football can be brutal. One minute you’re the rising stars of Bolivian soccer, and the next, you’re staring at a 7-0 aggregate scoreline wondering where it all went south. That’s basically the story of the Once Caldas vs San Antonio Bulo Bulo matchup in the Copa Sudamericana. Honestly, if you only saw the final score, you might think it was a boring, one-sided affair. It wasn't. It was a tactical masterclass by the Colombians and a series of "what if" moments for the underdogs from Entre Ríos.
Why the Once Caldas vs San Antonio Bulo Bulo Result Shocked Nobody (But Hurt Anyway)
When the draw first came out, people knew San Antonio Bulo Bulo had a mountain to climb. They’re a relatively small club compared to the giants of Manizales. Once Caldas has that 2004 Copa Libertadores DNA—they know how to navigate continental pressure.
The first leg in Cochabamba was supposed to be the great equalizer. High altitude, home crowd, the whole bit. But things turned messy fast. Erwin Junior Sánchez got sent off in the 42nd minute after a VAR review, and that was pretty much the beginning of the end. You can’t give a team like Once Caldas a man advantage for an entire half. Jefry Zapata opened the floodgates at the 50-minute mark, and by the time the legendary Dayro Moreno and Luis Felipe "Pipe" Gómez added late goals, the 3-0 away win felt insurmountable.
The Palogrande Massacre
By the time the teams met at Estadio Palogrande for the second leg on July 23, 2025, the vibe was more like a celebration for the home fans than a tense playoff. Once Caldas didn't just sit on their lead. They went for the throat.
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Michael Barrios scored just seven minutes in. Four minutes later? Mateo Zuleta made it 2-0.
If you were a San Antonio fan, you were probably checking your watch by the 15th minute. The Bolivian side tried, they really did. Luca Giossa, their keeper, actually had a decent game despite the score. He made several saves against Dayro Moreno, who seemed desperate to add to his record-breaking goal tally. But the quality gap was just too wide. Late strikes from Pipe Gómez and Déinner Quiñones (a beautiful curler into the top corner in stoppage time) polished off a 4-0 win on the night.
Breakdowns and Tactical Gaps
San Antonio Bulo Bulo played a 5-3-2 formation in the second leg. It sounds defensive, right? It was meant to be a low block to prevent a blowout, but Once Caldas’s 4-1-4-1 sliced right through it. Michael Barrios was the MVP of the series, simple as that. His pace on the wing turned the Bolivian fullbacks into spectators.
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The stats from that second leg tell the whole story:
- Shots: Once Caldas had 20 compared to San Antonio’s 14.
- On Target: 9 for the hosts, only 4 for the visitors.
- Control: James Aguirre, the Once Caldas keeper, had a much quieter night than he probably expected.
San Antonio lacked that "killer instinct" in the final third. Julio Herrera and Adalid Terrazas had a few looks at goal, but they never really forced Aguirre into anything spectacular. It was a classic case of a team being technically superior in every third of the pitch.
Looking Ahead for Both Clubs
For Once Caldas, this wasn't just about beating a Bolivian newcomer. It was about momentum. They moved on to face Huracán in the Round of 16, carrying the confidence of a team that hadn't conceded a single goal in 180 minutes of play.
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San Antonio Bulo Bulo, on the other hand, had to go back to the drawing board. For a club with their resources, even making it to this stage of the Sudamericana was a feat. They’ve got a young squad—average age around 25—and players like Gustavo Mendoza and Leonardo Justiniano will be better for the experience. You don't learn how to play in Manizales by reading about it; you learn by getting beat 4-0 and realizing you need more depth.
Takeaways for the Next Matchup
If these two meet again in the 2026 season or beyond, don't expect a carbon copy. San Antonio is growing, but Once Caldas is currently in a different stratosphere regarding roster depth.
- Watch the disciplinary record: The red card in the first leg was the turning point of the entire series.
- Dayro Moreno factor: He might be 40, but the man still commands two defenders at all times.
- Home advantage is real: The Palogrande remains one of the toughest places to travel to in South American football.
If you're following the 2026 Colombian Primera A, keep an eye on how Once Caldas handles their heavy schedule. They’ve got big matches against Cúcuta Deportivo and Santa Fe coming up, and the wear and tear of continental travel usually starts to show around February.
For anyone looking to understand the gulf between mid-tier Bolivian sides and established Colombian powerhouses, the Once Caldas vs San Antonio Bulo Bulo series is the perfect case study. It wasn't a fluke; it was a demonstration of hierarchy.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep track of the Categoría Primera A relegation table and San Antonio's progress in the División Profesional. The 2026 season is already shaping up to be a year where squad rotation and youth integration will decide who makes the next step into the knockout stages of the CONMEBOL tournaments.