Dayro Moreno nets goal No. 386 and keeps Once Caldas in the title hunt

Just when it looked like Fortaleza was set to grab a valuable point in Techo, the usual man showed up. Dayro Moreno came on from the bench, bided his time, and in the 82nd minute finished with a half-turn shot that found the back of the net. That goal gave Once Caldas a 2-1 win over Fortaleza in a match from matchday 9 of the Colombian league, played in Bogota.

It was no ordinary goal. With that finish, Dayro reached 386 goals in Colombian soccer, extending his lead as the country's all-time leading scorer. At 40 years old, he keeps showing up exactly when his team needs him, often coming off the bench like someone holding an ace up his sleeve for the final stretch.

The result puts Once Caldas in eighth place in the standings, with the three points secured thanks to the forward's decisive appearance. Dayro's relationship with the back of the net no longer surprises anyone in Colombia, but every goal adds another chapter to a career that seems to have no ceiling.

The goal that never changes

After the match, Dayro himself made clear what drives him day to day. No secrets, no strange formulas: just work and a hunger for goals.

It's a point of pride to be Colombia's all-time top scorer, and I'm going to keep chasing it. That's why I prepare every day, that's why I work, so I can score in every match. That's my next goal. Obviously I want to be champion with the team.Dayro Moreno

His strong form in 2025 didn't go unnoticed by Nestor Lorenzo, who called him back up to the Colombian national team. Dayro logged minutes in World Cup qualifying, news that many would have considered unlikely just a few years ago and that is now a reality thanks to his sustained level with Once Caldas.

Can you picture Dayro wearing the yellow jersey again at a World Cup? He, for one, isn't ruling anything out and keeps dreaming about that possibility.

The national team? I've always said it: only when I stop playing soccer will I stop thinking about the national team. That's why I work every day. That's why I keep scoring goals.Dayro Moreno

Attention now turns to the next fixture. Once Caldas will visit Chico in Tunja on Saturday, September 6, for matchday 10 of the domestic tournament, against a rival currently sitting second-to-last in the standings. On paper, it looks like a favorable matchup for the white-clad side, but in Colombian soccer nothing is ever certain until the final whistle.