The red from Bogotá looks like a factor in the run to the next rounds and is expected to add more points in the upcoming fixtures.
Santa Fe is navigating a delicate stretch in the Copa Sudamericana 2023. After an uneven start across the first three matchdays, the team has its hands on the math to determine whether advancement will come outright or through the repechage. The current mood around the group is tense, and every result matters as the calendar tightens and the competition narrows toward the knockout stage.
In the group stage, the cardinal team has logged one win, one draw, and one loss. That record leaves little room for complacency; to keep their hopes alive, they must secure victories in at least two of their remaining three matches to avoid a collapse in the standings and to preserve a realistic path to qualification.
The Santa Fe group in the Copa Sudamericana 2023: rivals, calendar, fixtures, results and standings
How many points does Santa Fe need to qualify for the Copa Sudamericana?
Looking ahead, León still travels to Gimnasia in La Plata, a team currently at the bottom of the group without any points. Santa Fe will also host Universitario and Goiás at El Campín. The objective is clear: accumulate six points from those nine available to keep pace with the leaders, who at this stage are the Peruvians with seven points, followed by the Brazilians at five.
Santa Fe, under the guidance of Harold Rivera, faces a critical period where timing and outcomes may tilt the balance in the group. The strategy is to press the advantage at home while hoping Gimnasia, Universitario, and Goiás collide in ways that could shift the balance of power in the standings. With a combination of disciplined defense and a sharper attack, the team could transform a tense moment into a solid push toward the knockout rounds.
From a broader perspective, the group’s dynamic emphasizes the importance of momentum. A positive result in the upcoming dates not only boosts confidence but also improves goal difference and head-to-head tiebreakers, which can become decisive in the final standings. Each point earned in this phase is a building block toward a possibly dramatic late surge that would keep Santa Fe’s continental ambitions alive in this edition of the tournament. (Goal)