Edwin Cardona’s Cool Precision From the Spot Sends Atletico Nacional Past Once Caldas in Palogrande Chess Match

MANIZALES, Colombia — On a rain-slick pitch shimmering beneath the Palogrande floodlights, Atletico Nacional eked out a 1-0 victory over Once Caldas in the Copa Colombia quarterfinals, courtesy of an ice-cold penalty conversion from veteran playmaker Edwin Cardona five minutes after the interval. In a match taut with strategic tension and marked by flickering moments of attacking intent, Cardona’s finish proved the razor’s edge, propelling Nacional through a seismic test and deepening Once Caldas’s postseason anxieties.

The contest, staged in front of a restless home crowd hungry for Cup glory, never fully ignited as a spectacle—yet as with all knockout football, drama pooled in every misstep. Once Caldas, bristling from a run of three straight wins and seeking to impose its recent scoring prowess, met a barricade of Nacional discipline, their creativity stifled and their rhythm broken by frequent midfield collisions.

The turning point arrived in the 50th minute, when Once Caldas defender Jerson Malagón—hero in the last league victory—was judged to have clipped Alfredo Morelos as the striker twisted into the six-yard box. After heated protests and a nervy pause, Cardona stepped up, his run-up measured, his gaze unwavering. The finish—a caressed shot, low and out of reach—was emblematic of a player whose poise has shaped so many Nacional campaigns.

From that instant, the equilibrium was shattered. Once Caldas, trailing at home, found themselves facing a resolute backline and the inexorable tick of the clock. Managerial gesturing and creative substitutions—Michael Barrios, so effective against Deportivo Pasto, pressed high; Luis Sánchez patrolled the left flank—yielded flashes of threat but never full clarity. Their best chance, a swirling header from Robert Mejía in the 67th minute, flashed wide, a missed moment that punctuated the frustration inside Palogrande.

Nacional, meanwhile, drew lessons from its recent form—a sequence of gritty draws and comprehensive wins, including a critical 2-0 dispatching of Millonarios. Under pressure, they reverted to compactness, William Tesillo and Jorman Campuzano dictating proceedings with seasoned authority. It was a performance cut from the same cloth as their earlier grinding results: not flamboyant, but quietly efficient, the hallmark of a side rising with intent through the season’s gauntlet.

This result is significant in the context of both teams’ trajectories. Once Caldas entered the night buoyed by their last five outings—three wins and a resounding Cup triumph over Deportivo Pasto—but the failure to breach Nacional’s defense signaled a return of the anxieties that haunted their late September defeats. The sting is compounded by recent head-to-head struggles; just this July, Nacional left Manizales with a 3-1 league win. In cup play, the inability to replicate their attacking fluency proved costly.

For Atletico Nacional, this win is a statement of resilience, echoing their league position—firmly in the top tier after tenacious results against Millonarios and Union Magdalena—and a reminder of their ability to control high-pressure situations. Cardona, scorer of pivotal goals in recent weeks, again delivered in the crucible.

Crucial moments outside the lone goal were defined by tactical finessing rather than red-card drama. The referee kept his cards in check, allowing the game’s edge to be defined by duels in the channels and midfield orchestration. If there was a sense of boiling tension, it never spilled into outright confrontation—a testament to both squads’ professionalism and resolve.

Looking ahead, the stakes escalate. For Once Caldas, the defeat is a jolt—an unwelcome halt to momentum at the season’s sharp end, with the need for tactical recalibration and psychological regrouping paramount. Their upcoming league fixtures now double as character tests, where chasing a continental place and restoring lost confidence must share priority.

Atletico Nacional, with Cardona at the helm and defensive fortitude growing, consolidate their claim as cup favorites. The squad’s ability to absorb pressure and strike with clinical precision bodes well for deeper challenges, including the looming semifinal and a run-in where every point and decision may sway silverware dreams.

If last night’s encounter proved anything, it’s that knockout football rewards not only brilliance but composure—the latter in abundant supply as Nacional left Estadio Palogrande with heads held high and ambitions undimmed.