Colombia’s Deportivo Cali part ways with coach

Gerardo Pelusso is stepping down as coach of Deportivo Cali after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in the Colombian first division, the club said Monday.

“The Executive Committee and Technical Staff decided by mutual accord to end the club’s connection with coach Gerardo Pelusso and his assistants,” Deportivo Cali said in a statement.

Pelusso, 64, joined Deportivo Cali in January and his job has appeared to be in jeopardy since the team was eliminated last month from the Copa Sudamericana tournament.

The Uruguayan had more success in his previous stint with a Colombian club, guiding Independiente Santa Fe to the Copa Sudamericana title in 2016.

With Deportivo, he posted a record of 17 wins, 7 draws and 15 losses. The team finished 10th in the regular season.

Club directors did not name a replacement for Pelusso, a former coach of the Uruguayan national team.

Deportivo Cali’s failure to make the playoffs was apparently also behind an incident Sunday night, when player Juan Sebastian Quintero was accosted by two angry fans with a gun.

The defender was not hurt.