Total Soccer 1-3 (0-0) Sócrates Valencia
J. Osorio 47' - D. Valencia 50', 80', Rivas 59'.
In the first leg, Total Soccer won 2-0. Aggregate score: 3-3.
Penalty shoot-outs: Total Soccer 2-4 Sócrates Valencia. S. Osorio and E. García converted for Total Soccer, Murillo, Agualimpia, J. Díaz and Tilve converted for Sócrates Valencia.
Sunday, 19 October 2025, 3 pm local time (8 pm UTC), Carlos Alberto Bernal Stadium, La Ceja, Antioquia, Colombia, 3rd stage of Colombian Primera C, 2nd leg.
Sócrates Valencia of Pereira qualified dramatically to the fourth stage of Primera C. Photo source: Sócrates Valencia CF Facebook page
Total Soccer had a good campaign in the Colombian Primera C so far, especially compared to last year, when they dropped out even from the first (group) stage. This year, the 2022 and 2023 Primera C champions managed to classify third in their group (Group B), two points behind Dimelojara and Sol de Oriente and six points ahead of Medellín City FC, to grasp the last seat leading to the second stage, which was already a knock-out stage, where they met Los Robles of Río Quito (Chocó). Total Soccer won both games, 4-1 at home and 3-1 away, qualifying for the third stage with 7-2 on aggregate.
In the third round, the opponents were Sócrates Valencia of Pereira. Everything went smoothly in the first game, away, in Pereira, where Total Soccer won 2-0 and they were big favorites to qualify for the fourth stage.
However, the second leg in La Ceja proved to be much more difficult than expected and the visitors surprisingly turned the game in their favour, winning also in the penalty shoot-outs.
The surprise was so great also because nothing seemed to happen in the first half, when both teams played mostly in midfield, with very few goal opportunities. Sócrates Valencia were indeed the team which tried harder to get to the opposite goal, and had better ball possession, but their actions did not look dangerous at all. On the other hand, Total Soccer responded mainly on counterattacks, and they had some set pieces (especially corner kicks) which triggered their best chances.
Actually, the second half started exactly like this. Total Soccer had a corner kick from the left side, and J. Osorio headed the ball in from short range: 1-0 (47'). It was 3-0 on aggregate and it looked like nothing could ever happen to prevent Total Soccer from qualifying to the next round.
Nevertheless, just three minutes after the first goal, Sócrates Valencia equalized: D. Valencia tried a shot from long distance and caught goalkeeper Correa by surprise: 1-1 (50').
The equalizer boosted the morale of the visitors, which launched a series of offensive actions, while Total Soccer once again retreated in a defensive mood, which proved fatal. After a corner kick from the right side, Rivas headed in from the far post: 1-2 (59'), and the match was very much alive.
It was only on this point that Total Soccer tried to gain control of the midfield once again, and to put some pressure on the opposite defence. They almost equalized by means of an own goal, when one of Sócrates Valencia defenders headed the ball towards goalkeeper Pamplona, who slipped, but eventually succeeded to touch the ball and avoid the own goal (66'). At the other end, one of Total Soccer defenders had to clear the ball from goal line after a shot which passed the goalkeeper (69').
The visitors forced a third goal, leaving large spaces behind, but Total Soccer did not take any profit out of this situation. Quite the contrary, the risks assumed by Sócrates Valencia eventually paid off, when one of the many balls sent more or less carefully in the opposite box was controlled by D. Valencia from among the central defenders, and then the same player found the space to send it home: 1-3 (80').
In the final minutes, not much football was played, because the visitors focused on wasting time as much as possible, fragmenting the game, while Total Soccer tried in vain to approach the opponents goal dangerously.
It all came up to the penalty shoot-outs, where the first three players of Sócrates Valencia, captain Murillo, Agualimpia and J. Díaz, all converted the penalties, while the first two players of Total Soccer, J. García and Romero missed, so the score was at a certain moment 3-0, very difficult to turn back from that. The third Total Soccer player, S. Osorio, scored: 3-1. The fourth Sócrates Valencia player to take the penalty, Rivas missed, maintaining the suspense, and the tension rose after E. García converted for Total Soccer: 3-2 before the final series. However, the last Sócrates Valencia player nominated to take the penalty, Tilve, scored, and the penalty shoot-outs ended with the score of 4-2 for Sócrates Valencia, as there was no need for the fifth player of Total Soccer to take the last penalty in the series.
This is how the story of Total Soccer in the 2025 Colombian Primera C ended, a rather surprising and not happy at all ending. The team is still involved in the local Primera B of Antioquia, where they were relegated last year.
Total Soccer: Correa - Palacios, J. García, J. Osorio, Yepes, Urrego, Romero, Vélez, Gómez, Murillo, S. Osorio. Lemus, E. García and Trujillo were subbed in the second half.
Sócrates Valencia: Pamplona - Martínez, Lucumí, Gallego, Murillo, Ibargüen, Agualimpia, Perea, Rivas, Mosquera, D. Valencia. Cardona, Ariza, J. Díaz and Tilve were subbed in the second half.
Referee: Juan Benítez.
Yellow cards: Urrego 50' - Ibargüen 39', Gallego 39', Rivas 53', Juan 61', Mosquera 68', Tilve 90'+4'.
Red card: Giraldo 69' (Sócrates Valencia reserve goalkeeper who was on the bench).
In the fourth round, Sócrates Valencia will face Atlético Becerril (César), playing the first leg away.
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