BARRANQUILLA, Colombia — On a dramatic Wednesday night at Romelio Martínez Stadium, Colombian soccer star Luis Diaz got a front-row seat to one of the most shocking domestic cup upsets in recent Colombian football history, a result that echoed the giant-killing magic he experienced in England’s FA Cup during his time at Liverpool.
The match ended with one of Colombia’s most successful powerhouse clubs, Junior, crashing out of the Copa Colombia at the hands of its very own second-division feeder team, Barranquilla FC. After 90 minutes of tense, even play failed to produce a winner, Barranquilla held its nerve to secure a 5-3 victory in a penalty shootout, sending the top-flight side packing early from the competition.
For Diaz, the 29-year-old Colombian international who currently plies his trade at Bayern Munich after moving from Liverpool earlier this year, the moment carried personal weight. The forward launched his professional career right at Barranquilla FC, earning a promotion up to Junior’s senior squad in 2017 before his breakout move to European club Porto set him on the path to global stardom.
Reaction to the upset was mixed within Junior’s camp. Yimmi Chará, a key first-team player for the top-flight side, described the result as deeply disappointing. “We knew they would make it difficult for us, but we failed to get the result we needed,” Chará said. “What happened is embarrassing.”
Junior manager Alfredo Arias, however, took a more gracious stance toward the upset. He noted that most of Barranquilla’s squad has direct ties to the first team, with many players even spending last season as part of Junior’s senior setup. “If anyone had to eliminate us, I’m glad it was Barranquilla,” Arias said. “I hope they go as far as possible in the competition.”
Barranquilla FC’s giant-killing run is far from over: the second-tier side will next face another Colombian soccer powerhouse, Millonarios, in the following round of the Copa Colombia. Much like the FA Cup — the iconic English competition famous for its history of lower-division underdogs toppling top-flight giants — the Copa Colombia has already delivered one massive upset, and fans across the country are now waiting to see if more surprises are on the horizon.