Deportivo Cali visits Boyacá Chicó in Tunja on Friday, April 17, 2026, with its season on the line. The green-and-white side needs a win to stay alive in the Liga Betplay I-2026 race for the quarterfinals, and coach Rafael Dudamel is set to alter his lineup again to chase the three points.
With three rounds left, only eight teams will advance, and Cali is clinging to eighth place with 23 points. Atlético Bucaramanga, Millonarios and Águilas are just behind on 22, while Llaneros follows with 21, which leaves no room for another slip after the 1-1 draw in Palmaseca against Llaneros.
During the week, Dudamel tested a tactical shift that moved Cali from three center backs and wingbacks to a back four, five midfielders with wingers and an attacking midfielder, and one striker. He is also expected to make three changes to the starting lineup from the team that faced Llaneros, with Emanuel Reynoso unavailable because of suspension.
The pressure is straightforward and immediate. Dudamel has said there is no margin for error, and the table agrees. If Cali does not take points in Tunja, the group chasing the final quarterfinal places will have a clear opening before the last two matchdays, and one of the league’s most watchable races could tilt away from it in a single afternoon.
