Union Magdalena Santa Marta vs Once Caldas Best odds and tips

The clash of two very different styles should make for an intriguing matchup in Santa Marta when Union Magdalena host Once Caldas on Sunday. The home side are more of a reactive team, setting up deep defensive blocks and trying to hit opponents on the counter-attack in a pragmatic 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation. The visitors, on the other hand, are a possession-based side that like to play a structured style of soccer, pressing in advanced areas and looking to build up play in a 4-3-3 system. They have been more proactive in recent weeks and have been rewarded for it, winning three of their last five matches (W3, D1, L1). Union Magdalena have had no such luck, failing to win any of their last five matches (D3, L2). They drew away to Aguilas Doradas, followed by a home draw with Bucaramanga and an away defeat to Envigado. Alexis Garcia, who took over as head coach in March 2025, has been trying to get some defensive discipline into this team but they are struggling.

Once Caldas have been in good form of late, winning three, drawing one, and losing one of their last five matches and moving up to 10th in Primera A 2025 with 23 points from 15 matches, keeping them in touch with the playoff places. Hernan Herrera has done a good job since taking over as head coach in October 2023, making Once Caldas a more attacking team and one that can hurt opponents on their day. Dayro Moreno is a big part of that, the striker having scored seven goals in 15 league matches to make him one of Primera A 2025’s most lethal forwards. Six of Once Caldas’s last nine goals have been crucial to their recent upturn in form, which has included a 3-0 home win over La Equidad and a 3-2 away victory against GV Club Deportivo San Jose de Oruro.

Union Magdalena sit bottom of Primera A 2025 with eight points from 16 matches, but they have avoided defeat in their last two home matches, both draws. They are slight favorites at +118 for this matchup, but the draw is almost as prominent at +185 and that looks the way to go given the hosts have failed to win at home all season. A both teams to score bet looks good, however, as Once Caldas have been more open in recent weeks. Jannenson Sarmiento is the home side’s top scorer in the league with just two goals, so they may not have enough firepower to beat the visitors. These two sides drew 1-1 the last time they met in Santa Marta in Primera A 2023 and the last two head-to-heads have been ties. There is regional pride at stake and the game should be close, but Once Caldas’s momentum and the form of Moreno should be enough to see them at least avoid defeat and perhaps even snag a win.