Luifer Hernández delivered the decisive blow in the 57th minute, firing Cúcuta Deportivo to a breathless 3-2 victory over Deportes Tolima at General Santander in the Colombian Primera A. It was a result that defied logic on paper — Tolima dominated possession with 62.4% of the ball and peppered the goal with 22 attempts — yet it was the home side who walked away with all three points in a match that swung violently from one end to the other.
Tolima wasted little time announcing their intentions. Kelvin Flórez, who would prove a constant menace throughout the afternoon, struck first in the 15th minute, latching onto a corner to slot home from very close range and give the visitors an early foothold. The opening exchanges were frantic, with Juan Ramírez in the Cúcuta goal already being tested — the goalkeeper denied Jersson González with a sharp save in the 14th minute before Flórez's opener arrived moments later.
Cúcuta refused to wilt. Léider Berdugo was instrumental in the home side's response, and it was his assist that set up Luifer Hernández to level matters in the 28th minute, the forward drilling a right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner. The momentum briefly swung toward the hosts, with Eduar Arízalas forcing a save from Luis Marquínez in the 26th minute before Hernández's equaliser restored parity.
Tolima reclaimed the lead before the break, however. Kelvin Flórez struck again in the 38th minute, this time with a composed left-footed finish to the top right corner from the centre of the box, assisted by Luis Sandoval. Cúcuta were level on the scoreboard but trailing badly in the statistical battle — and the half ended with Ramírez again denying González in the 44th minute to keep the deficit to just one.
The second half opened with Cúcuta refusing to accept their fate. Jhon Quiñónes rose magnificently in the 49th minute to power a header from the centre of the box into the top left corner, Léider Berdugo's cross from a corner providing the perfect delivery. It was a moment of set-piece precision that levelled the contest at 2-2 and silenced Tolima's growing confidence.
Then came the turning point. Tolima's coaching staff responded with a triple substitution in the 56th and 57th minutes — bringing on Yoimar Moreno, Yimar Parra, and Junior Hernández — but before the dust had settled, Cúcuta struck. Hernández, already on the scoresheet, latched onto Arízalas's pass and swept a left-footed finish into the bottom right corner in the 57th minute. It was clinical, it was cold-blooded, and it proved to be the match-winner.
What followed was a nervy final 33 minutes that tested Cúcuta's defensive resolve to its absolute limit. Tolima launched 22 shots at goal compared to Cúcuta's 10, and the statistics told a story of relentless pressure that simply could not find a way through. Ramírez was heroic between the posts, making six saves in total — including a crucial stop from Flórez in the 53rd minute and a late denial of Sebastián Guzmán in the 90th+4th minute as Tolima threw everything forward. Brayan Rovira picked up a yellow card in the 62nd minute for a rash challenge, and Cúcuta's own discipline frayed in the closing stages, with Joao Abonía, Jaime Peralta, Kevin Londoño, and Ramírez himself all collecting bookings as tensions boiled over.
The statistics reflected a contest that Tolima dominated in every measurable way except the one that matters most. They held 62.4% possession, forced eight corners to Cúcuta's eight, and registered eight shots on target. Yet Cúcuta's four yellow cards spoke to a side that fought for every inch, every tackle, every clearance — and Ramírez's six saves underlined just how fine the margins were.
MATCH STATS:Final: Cúcuta Deportivo 3-2 Deportes TolimaShots: Tolima 22-10 CúcutaShots on Target: Tolima 8-4 CúcutaPossession: Tolima 62.4%-37.6% CúcutaCorners: Tolima 13-8 CúcutaSaves: Cúcuta 6-1 TolimaYellow Cards: Cúcuta 4-1 Tolima
The wheel keeps turning in football's endless cycle — and for Deportes Tolima, the questions about converting dominance into points will linger long after the final whistle at General Santander.