MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Colombian Giants Atletico Nacional & America de Cali to Face off at BBVA Compass Stadium on Colombian Independence Day

Published on June 8, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - Two of the most popular and successful soccer clubs in Colombia will face off on Colombian Independence Day at BBVA Compass Stadium. Atlético Nacional will face América de Cali on Friday, July 20 at 8:00 p.m. CDT, stadium officials announced today. Clasico Colombiano will be presented by SPD Sports.

The match is an official part of Houston Colombian Fest 2018 activities Colombian Fest celebrates Colombian Independence Day - July 20 - with an all-day event in Downtown Houston packed with food, arts, crafts, kid-friendly activities and plenty of music on the main stage. This marks the 15th year for the event, and it is scheduled for Sunday, July 22 at Sam Houston Park in Downtown Houston.

"We are excited to partner with SPD Sports to bring two world-class teams to Houston to celebrate such an important day in the Colombian community, said BBVA Compass Stadium General Manager Juan Rodriguez. "We take great pride in serving the whole Houston community by bringing diverse and wide-ranging sporting events to the city, and we are eager to welcome Colombian fans, as well as all fans of the beautiful game, to BBVA Compass Stadium once again."

Tickets for the match will go on sale Monday, June 11 at 10:00 a.m. CDT, with prices starting at $35. Tickets may be purchased online at BBVACompassStadium.com, by phone at 1 (888) 929-7849, or in person at the BBVA Compass Stadium Box Office, which is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CDT.

Houston Dynamo and Dash members will have access to an exclusive pre-sale opportunity starting today.

Atlético Nacional and América de Cali are two of Colombia's most historic teams, with a rich rivalry that dates back to 1948 when América defeated Atlético, 3-0. The rivalry escalated as both teams became frequent opponents in championship matches and knockout matches in international tournaments.

Nacional have won La Categoria Primera A in Colombia on 16 occasions and Copa Libertadores twice, the most recent on 2016 which earned them a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2016, the club was part of a story which reached far beyond the bounds of soccer when their opponent in the Copa Sudamericana final, Chapecoense of Brazil, lost its entire team in a tragic plane crash on their way to Colombia for the first leg. Nacional was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award that year after they asked for CONMEBOL to award Chapecoense the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title.

América have won 13 league titles and have advanced to the finals of the Copa Libertadores on four occasions. Houston Dynamo head coach, Wilmer Cabrera, played for Los Diablos Rojos for seven years and helped the team lift the championship trophy three times. After years of struggle, América returned to La Categoria Primera A in 2016; and in 2017 they qualified for their first international tournament in nearly a decade when they qualified for the 2018 Copa Sudamericana.

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