The 2004 Categoría Primera A season was the 57th season of Colombia's top-flight football league. It began on 1 February and ended on 19 December 2004.
Independiente Medellín won the Campeonato Apertura, and Atlético Junior won the Campeonato Finalizacion.
Campeonato Apertura
The Campeonato Apertura (officially the 2004 Copa Mustang I for sponsorship reasons) was the first tournament of the season. It began on 1 February and ended on 16 May.
First stage
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| 1. | América de Cali | | 37 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 17 | +13 |
| 2. | Deportivo Cali | | 34 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 15 | +8 |
| 3. | Atlético Nacional | | 33 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 23 | +7 |
| 4. | Once Caldas | | 31 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 14 | +9 |
| 5. | Atlético Junior | | 30 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 26 | 16 | +10 |
| 6. | Independiente Medellín | | 29 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 19 | +1 |
| 7. | Deportivo Pasto | | 27 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 19 | -1 |
| 8. | Chicó FC | | 27 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 24 | +1 |
| 9. | Deportes Pereira | | 26 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 18 | +3 |
| 10. | Millonarios | | 26 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 22 | +1 |
| 11. | Deportes Tolima | | 26 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 17 | +3 |
| 12. | Atlético Bucaramanga | | 21 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 25 | -3 |
| 13. | Independiente Santa Fe | | 20 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 22 | -4 |
| 14. | Cortuluá | | 19 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 32 | -5 |
| 15. | Atlético Huila | | 16 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 29 | -10 |
| 16. | Deportes Quindío | | 15 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 23 | -12 |
| 17. | Envigado FC | | 14 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 26 | -7 |
| 18. | Unión Magdalena | | 10 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 29 | -14 |
Pts=Points; GP=Games played; W=Wins; D=Draws; L=Losses; GF=Goals Favored; GA=Goals Allowed; GD=Goal Difference
Semifinals
The second phase of the 2004-I tournament consisted of two groups, each containing 4 teams. This was disputed by the best eight teams from the first phase of the tournament. The winners of each group face in the finals to define a champion.
Group A
| Seed | Pos. | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| (3) | 1. | Atlético Nacional | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 |
| (7) | 2. | Deportivo Pasto | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 |
| (1) | 3. | América de Cali | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -3 |
| (5) | 4. | Atlético Junior | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 |
| Fixture 1 - May 19, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| América de Cali | 1 - 1 | Junior | |
| Pasto | 2 - 1 | Atlético Nacional | |
| Fixture 2 - May 23, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Junior | 1 - 1 | Pasto | |
| Atlético Nacional | 4 - 3 | América de Cali | |
|}
| Fixture 3 - June 9, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Pasto | 4 - 0 | América de Cali | |
| Junior | 0 - 4 | Atlético Nacional | |
| Fixture 4 - June 13, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Atlético Nacional | 1 - 1 | Junior | |
| América de Cali | 2 - 0 | Pasto | |
|}
| Fixture 5 - June 16, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Atlético Nacional | 1 - 2 | Pasto | |
| Junior | 0 - 1 | América de Cali | |
| Fixture 6 - June 20, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| América de Cali | 0 - 1 | Atlético Nacional | |
| Pasto | 0 - 1 | Junior | |
|}
Group B
| Seed | Pos | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| (6) | 1. | Independiente Medellín | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 8 | +7 |
| (2) | 2. | Once Caldas | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 |
| (8) | 3. | Deportivo Cali | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 11 | -2 |
| (4) | 4. | Chicó FC | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 |
| Fixture 1 - May 19, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Medellín | 4 - 0 | Once Caldas | |
| Chico FC | 0 - 1 | Deportivo Cali | |
| Fixture 2 - May 23, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Deportivo Cali | 0 - 3 | Medellín | |
| Once Caldas | 1 - 0 | Chico FC | |
|}
| Fixture 3 - June 5, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Deportivo Cali | 3 - 1 | Once Caldas | |
| Medellín | 1 - 2 | Chico FC | |
| Fixture 4 - June 13, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Once Caldas | 2 - 0 | Cali | |
| Chico FC | 3 - 2 | Medellín | |
|}
| Fixture 5 - June 16, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Once Caldas | 0 - 2 | Medellín | |
| Deportivo Cali | 2 - 2 | Chico FC | |
| Fixture 6 - June 20, 2004 | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| Medellín | 3 - 3 | Deportivo Cali | |
| Chico FC | 2 - 3 | Once Caldas | |
|}
Finals
| Date | City | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| June 24 | Medellín | Independiente Medellín | 2 - 1 | Atlético Nacional |
| June 27 | Medellín | Atlético Nacional | 0 - 0 | Independiente Medellín |
| Independiente Medellín is the champion for winning 2 - 1 on aggregate. | | | | |
| **Champion |
|---|
| Independiente Medellín** |
| Fourth Title |
Campeonato Finalización
The Campeonato Finalización (officially the 2004 Copa Mustang II for sponsorship reasons) was the second tournament of the season. It began on 1 August and ended on 19 December.
First phase
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| 1. | América de Cali | | 42 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 14 | +18 |
| 2. | Atlético Bucaramanga | | 34 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 16 | +7 |
| 3. | Deportes Tolima | | 33 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 20 | +7 |
| 4. | Deportivo Cali | | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 17 | +7 |
| 5. | Atlético Nacional | | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 18 | +6 |
| 6. | Independiente Medellín | | 29 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 13 | +9 |
| 7. | Once Caldas | | 28 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 30 | 19 | +11 |
| 8. | Atlético Junior | | 28 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 26 | 21 | +5 |
| 9. | Envigado FC | | 26 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 26 | 20 | +6 |
| 10. | Santa Fe | | 25 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 24 | +1 |
| 11. | Deportes Quindío | | 25 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 29 | -8 |
| 12. | Tulua | | 22 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 19 | -5 |
| 13. | Atlético Huila | | 18 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 25 | -4 |
| 14. | Chicó FC | | 18 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 24 | -9 |
| 15. | Unión Magdalena | | 17 | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 27 | -16 |
| 16. | Deportivo Pasto | | 17 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 16 | -6 |
| 17. | Millonarios | | 13 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 29 | -15 |
| 18. | Deportes Pereira | | 13 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 25 | -16 |
Pts=Points; GP=Games played; W=Wins; D=Draws; L=Losses; GF=Goals Favored; GA=Goals Allowed; GD=Goal Difference
Semifinals
Just like in the Apertura, the second phase of the 2004-II tournament consisted of two groups, each containing 4 teams. This was disputed by the best eight teams from the first phase of the tournament. The winners of each group face in the finals to define a champion.
Group A
| R | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| 1. | Atlético Nacional | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| 2. | América de Cali | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | +2 |
| 3. | Deportes Tolima | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 4. | Once Caldas | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -5 |
Group B
| R | Team | Pts | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| 1. | Atlético Junior | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | +6 |
| 2. | Deportivo Cali | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 3. | Independiente Medellín | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | -1 |
| 4. | Atlético Bucaramanga | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -5 |
Finals
| Date | City | Home | Score | Away |
|---|
| December 15 | Barranquilla | Atlético Junior | 3 - 0 | Atlético Nacional |
| December 19 | Medellín | Atlético Nacional | 5 - 2 | Atlético Junior |
| Atlético Junior is the champion for winning 4 - 5 on Penalty kicks | | | | |
| **Champion |
|---|
| Atlético Junior** |
| Fifth Title |