Once Caldas Set to Face Fluminense in Copa Sudamericana Debut

MANIZALES, Colombia — Once Caldas will host Fluminense on April 1 at Palogrande Stadium for their Copa Sudamericana debut, aiming to make a strong statement in the group stage.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. local time, marks a significant moment for Once Caldas, which returns to the international tournament after a six-year absence following an early exit in 2019. This will be their first-ever meeting with the Brazilian side in continental competition.

“These tournaments are very competitive and can be unpredictable. We know we must impose our game from the beginning, leveraging the high altitude of Manizales,” coach Hernán Darío Herrera said in a press conference. The team recently prepared for this matchup after defeating Millonarios 1-0 in the preliminary round.

Once Caldas currently sits tenth in the Colombian league with 16 points, but they broke a streak of two consecutive home losses with their latest victory. Herrera noted, “The changes we made during the match were effective in sustaining the result. We showed improved intensity in the second half that we need to replicate against Fluminense.”

Fluminense enters the match struggling to find form, having lost their last three games, including the Campeonato Carioca finals to Flamengo and their recent 2-0 defeat to Fortaleza in the Brasileirao. This poor performance led to the dismissal of their coach, Mano Menezes, with Marcão stepping in as the interim coach.

One player to watch is Dayro Moreno, the historical top scorer of Colombian professional football, who is eager to open his account in the Sudamericana. “I aim to score tonight and help my team succeed in this campaign,” said Moreno, who is equal on 351 goals with Radamel Falcao García.

The match promises to be intense, with Fluminense featuring notable Colombian players like Gabriel Fuentes and Jhon Arias, although Fuentes will miss the game due to injury.

“We need to capitalize on our home advantage and the altitude, which has historically hindered Brazilian teams. We are prepared for a challenging match,” said midfielder Mateo García.

With both teams looking to regain confidence and momentum, fans are set for an exciting opener in Group F of the Copa Sudamericana, which also includes Unión Española and GV San José.

Security measures have been tightened for the match, with all stadium gates opening at 4:30 p.m. Local authorities expect around 300 traveling fans from Brazil to attend the game.