Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Colombian Primera A match.
Fortaleza are one of only three teams to have won both of their opening fixtures. Deportivo Cali now face the challenge of proving that this early success was misleading. However, the hosts themselves currently sit at the bottom of the standings.
Deportivo Cali
In their opening match, an early red card for winger Fabián Castillo proved decisive, with the team falling to a 0:2 defeat against Club Atlético Junior, a side that reached the play-off stage. Their second outing ended in a goalless draw against Envigado. Including their fixtures from the first round of the Colombian Cup in June, Deportivo Cali are without a win in five consecutive matches. Over this period, they have managed to score just once.
Fortaleza
Despite their strong start to the campaign, it’s surprising to see the home win rated as the more likely outcome, especially considering Fortaleza have secured back-to-back victories. They overcame Envigado (1:0) — a result that might be expected against a struggling side — but also edged past play-off contenders Once Caldas (2:1). The uncertainty may stem from the fact that Fortaleza were only promoted from Primera B in 2023 and have yet to feature in the play-offs.
Deportivo Cali vs Fortaleza Prediction
The market appears to be reacting to a particular trend: all five of Fortaleza’s matches in the top division have ended in home wins. Deportivo Cali are on home soil this time, but instead of backing them outright, we anticipate a low-scoring contest. Both squads seem well suited to producing such a game.
