The Universitario Popayan Gazette
Match12 Aug 2026
The cup run ends for Universitario Popayan
0‑3 against America de Cali, and the road stops here. Cup exits are quick deaths — no second leg, no next week, just the league from now until May.
The terraces17 Aug 2026
A cup hiding at America de Cali leaves Universitario Popayan explaining themselves
0-3, and long before the end the away end had switched from encouragement to something considerably more pointed. Nobody rings a phone-in about losing narrowly.
Squad17 Aug 2026
A falling-out at Universitario Popayan
Benjamín Alonso and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
The dugout17 Aug 2026
Rafael Gonzalez gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Boardroom17 Aug 2026
Nobody left the Universitario Popayan dressing room in a hurry
The door stayed shut a long time after the final whistle. What was said in there is between them; whether it worked is between them and Saturday.
The dugout17 Aug 2026
The view from the dugout
“We will look at it, we will learn from it, and we go again.” The three sentences every manager keeps for a 0‑3 defeat, delivered by Sergio Herrera to a room that had heard them before.
Squad17 Aug 2026
Luis Sinisterra signs on for more
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Luis Sinisterra and Universitario Popayan agree another 4 years.
The dugout17 Aug 2026
Julian Garcia left out for tactical reasons at Universitario Popayan
The shape wanted a different profile against this opponent, which is a real football answer and no comfort at all to the man it is about. He did nothing wrong and he did not play.
Squad17 Aug 2026
A first team debut at 18 for Sergio Gomez
Off the academy pitches and into a senior shirt, at 18. The parents in the stand will keep the programme, and so will he.
In brief
- Player ratings Hugo Zapata was unplayable
- The dugout Luis Sinisterra knocks on the manager’s door
- Squad Richard Falcao is not doing himself any favours