Independiente Santa Fe validated its status as a protagonist in the Liga Águila I by defeating Boyacá Chicó, 1-0, with a penalty goal scored by goalkeeper Robinson Zapata.

The team of Uruguayan Gerardo Pelusso managed to overcome the absence of its two natural leaders in midfield, Luis Manuel Siejas, injured, and Omar Pérez, suspended, to earn the first three points of the championship in a game that was characterized by a discreet and rough style with the number of fouls that were called.

The first half was resolved with a long ball played from midfield by Sergio Otálvaro into the area of Chicó. In a divided action, debutant Anthony Otero for Santa Fe and Costa Rican defender Ariel Soto for Boyacá arrived, with Soto bringing down the forward in a spectacular challenge, resulting in a penalty kick awarded by referee Óscar Gómez.

In the penalty kick taken by Santa Fe's goalkeeper, Robinson Zapata, referee Gómez ordered a retake due to one of the Santa Fe players encroaching the penalty area. In the retake, Zapata repeated his style and power to beat his counterpart Eder Chaux.

The rest of the first half was played amidst many fouls that interrupted the pace of the game, with a referee who, while sanctioning all the clashes, tried to cut down on the roughness of the match with the four yellow cards he showed.

The second half had the same tone although the visitors had a greater presence than in the first half, with three clear chances to increase the lead. Juan David Roa arrived on the right side shooting on the run a floated ball by Leyvin Balanta, which was well blocked by goalkeeper Chaux in the 55th minute.

Then, Sergio Otálvaro made an excursion on the right side, reaching the end line and providing a pass for Argentine Jonathan Gómez, who hit the side netting of the Boyacá goal. 64th minute.

In the 80th minute, debutant Carlos Ibarguen, wearing the Santa Fe shirt, took a shot that came very close to the crossbar.

A minute later, Chicó had its first great approach of the match with Daley Mena, combining with Edwards Jiménez, and Mena taking a shot that narrowly missed the right-hand corner of Zapata's goal.

As an anecdotal fact, on the bench of the Boyacá team appeared 18-year-old goalkeeper Miguel Alejandro Calero Ordóñez, son of the late Miguel Calero.

In the next matchday, Chicó will visit Deportivo Pasto, while Santa Fe will have its first Copa Libertadores match against Oriente Petrolero in Bolivia and then face Millonarios in the second round of the league.