Deportivo Cali, under the guidance of technical director Rafael Dudamel, was crowned champion of the Colombian Clausura tournament on Wednesday by beating Deportes Tolima 2-1 in the second leg of the final.
Tolima, who had scratched a goal tie in the first game on Sunday in Cali, took the lead in the rematch on the scoreboard in the 14th minute with a goal from Julián Quiñones after a corner kick.
Cali had to wait until 59 to equalize the actions, just after saving itself from a new fall.
Winger Jhon Vásquez received on the right and beat goalkeeper William Cuesta with a powerful shot.
The draw emboldened the visit, who went for more and got it. In one of those arrivals, the local defender Eduardo Caicedo was surprised by the judge when he cut a head butt in the area with his hand.
Harold Preciado, at 75, gave Cali the title with a superb shot from the penalty spot, and incidentally established himself as the Clausura scorer with 13 goals.
Deportivo Cali thus achieved its tenth star in Colombian soccer, this time under the baton of Dudamel, after lifting the title in 2015.
The former Venezuelan coach reached his first title as a coach at age 48 after winning the Colombian league as a player in 1998 with the same team.
“I love them! These are champions, they showed that they have a character and determination to play football, we have surpassed a great champion, but because we have acted with greatness, “Dudamel told the Win Sports channel through tears.
Teo the hero
Dudamel won the duel against his counterpart Hernán Torres, who claimed his own feat by winning the Apertura and Clausura.
The teams staged a close final from start to finish. One hit, the other answered until Cali managed to unbalance with several arrivals and two accurate actions.
The international Teófilo Gutiérrez, 36 years old, was the figure of the successful campaign of Cali. He scored six goals in the Clausura and always put the different touch in the eleven ‘sugar bowl’, which he joined in August after leaving Junior due to injuries.
«I cried a lot these months when I was injured. Nobody understood my injury. Only God knew where he was going to take me (…) I still have a competitive spirit, of love for football, ”Teo told the same channel.
With the first score, the locals got rid of the pressure and rearranged themselves on the court to counter-attack, given the need of the visit to seek a tie.
But they failed to maintain the result and let Cali, by prowling the area and the occasional shot, find the way to the goal and the title.
