Soccer roundup: Goal-glut marks fifth week of Chile’s Apertura
Católica pulls away at the top after nine-goal thriller, Universidad de Chile clobbers Antofagasta 5-0 and Unión Española registers its first win of the season.
Palestino 3-6 Universidad Católica
Universidad Católica has a two-point cushion at the top of the league standings after winning a goal fest away to Palestino on Saturday.
Ismael Sosa is unplayable at the moment. The Católica striker was instrumental in his team’s Copa Sudamericana victory over Emelec last week, and he only needed 39 seconds to get on the score sheet against Palestino. Midfielder Michael Ríos doubled the lead eight minutes later via a penalty.
Católica was guilty of taking its foot off the gas having pulled away so early, and was jolted back into the game by Palestino striker Roberto Gutiérrez. The Católica backline was caught flat footed by a well-worked free kick into the area, leaving Gutiérrez plenty of space and time to clip in a close range effort with the outside of his boot.
Roused from its slumber, the visiting team hit back on the half-hour mark through attacking midfielder Milovan Miroševi?, who belted in a screamer from range.
The game, however, continued on its course of curious twists and turns, when defender Javier Capelli nodded in Palestino’s second just after the break. Católica striker Nicolás Castillo restored his team’s two goal cushion three minutes later after a poor clearance fell to him in the box, and Fernando Meneses made it five on 56 minutes after he pounced on a parried save from keeper Felipe Núñez.
Brimming with confidence, Católica kept pressing well into the second half, and was rewarded 10 minutes from time. Sosa found himself in a one-on-one after a blistering counter, and the striker conned Núnoz with a gorgeous dummied shot before slotting home number six.
Palestino was rewarded for remaining positive in the face of an embarrassing scoreline, when striker Diego Cháves salvaged some dignity via a well taken volley in the 86 minute.
Católica’s closest contenders failed to punish the league leader during a brief spell of underwhelming performances. Now, with 10 goals in two games, the side has gathered imposing momentum. Palestino’s loss sees the side sink to 15th in the table.
Universidad de Chile 5-0 Antofagasta
Most strikers that reach soccer´s top tiers do so through years of hard graft to hone their craft. A select few play is if they were born to score.
Patricio Rubio astonished on Sunday, with a performance that blended technique and footballing instinct. Two goals with his feet and two with his head complemented Sebastián Ubilla’s first half effort to give “La U” a resounding victory over a shellshocked Antofagasta side in Apertura’s fifth.
Having been brought in from Unión Española to energize “La U’s” anaemic front line, Rubio settled right in with a substitute goal on his debut, and only took seven minutes to net via a header on his first start for the club.
Ten minutes later, Luciano Civelli rose tall to nod back an inswinging cross toward the striker, and Rubio flicked in a deft left-footed volley from close range.
Attacking talent Sebastián Ubilla reminded all why he was so badly missed through long term injury, heading in his team’s third in the 23rd minute, and Antofagasta lost all hope after Rubio bagged his hat-trick seven minutes later.
The striker’s best goal came ten minutes after the break. His pace allowed him to break onto a ball from deep in midfield, his strength was enough to hold off a marker, and his technique enabled him to dink the ball past the keeper and spank in his fourth. “La U” played with the Antofagasta midfield from then on, and could have had two or three more before the final whistle.
The win lifts “La U” to fourth in the table, while Antofagasta is 16th with four points.
Ñublense 0-2 Unión Española
Titleholder Unión Esapañola summoned its first win of the Apertura on Friday, exchanging places at the bottom of the table with opposition Ñublense. The latter has now not won a home game in six months.
Española looked shaky in defense during the opening exchanges, though hit its stride having escaped punishment. Defensive midfielder Gonzalo Villagra opened the scoring early on in the second half with an outrageous 30 yard drive. Last season’s strike sensation Gustavo Canales netted his first goal of the campaign in the 90th minute, converting a penalty after Lucas Giovini brought down Francisco Castro in the box — a foul for which the keeper was dismissed.
Audax Italiano 1-1 Cobreloa
Cobreloa remains second in the league despite drawing away to Audax Italiano on Saturday.
Italiano started aggressively and would have gone in front within ten minutes were it not for some accomplished keeping from Luciano Palos to go in front in the opening exchanges.
In the 35th minute, the keeper came close to tipping over winger Bryan Carrasco’s headed effort, though the ball crept in to give Italiano the lead. Cobreloa players harangued the referee after the goal, and for good reason — replays showed the ball had gone out just before the assist was crossed into the box.
Cobreloa responded well, and in the 48th minute opened up Italiano with some lovely, fluid passing in front of the box. Midfielder Hugo Droguett finished off the move through the legs of keeper Jaime Bravo.
Italiano remains sixth in the table.
Huachipato 0-0 Colo Colo
Colo Colo continues to bamboozle. Having seemingly hit its stride with a resounding victory over Iquique in the fourth week, “Los Albos” fired blanks at Huachipato in a goalless draw on Sunday.
A series of near misses and blocks prevented either side from registering, and Huachipato keeper Nery Veloso pulled off a phenomenal diving save to prevent Emiliano Vecchio’s free kick from stealing the points at the death.
Huachipato and Colo Colo sit 13th and 14th respectively.
Santiago Wanderers 2-2 O´Higgins
O’Higgins relied on a Pablo Calandria brace that included a 90th minute equalizer to tie away to Wanderers on Saturday. The team forewent an opportunity to go second in the league after registering its third successive draw.
The result, however, may be rewritten upon review by Chile’s football association (ANFP). The rules state that teams may only field five non-Chilean nationals at any time. Wanderers manager Ivo Basay made several second half changes that saw six foreigners on the pitch. Pending ANFP’s decision due later this week, O’Higgins is expected to be given the win that would take the team to second place on goal difference.
Calandria got the scoring underway with a penalty in the 56th, before Leandro Torres tied the game up with a poacher’s tap-in on 71 minutes. Jefferson Castillo gave Wanderers the lead again in the 82, though another Calandria penalty tied the game with seconds to play.
Wanderers sit 11th in the Apertura.
Everton 2-3 Universidad de Concepción
Universidad de Concepción registered a thrilling win against Everton on Sunday. The team rallied to overcome going a goal and a man down in the first half.
Defender Andrés Imperiale received his marching orders in the fifth minute, and things got worse for the visitors when Everton midfielder Emiliano Romero’s beautiful curling effort found the back of the net in the 12th minute. Fernando Manríquez’s long range effort tied the scoring up just before the half, and fellow Concepción midfielder Sixto Peralta put his team in front just after the break.
Striker Luis Vila got Everton back on track three minutes later, though Concepción had the last laugh when forward Gabriel Vargas nabbed the 54th minute winner.
Concepción is seventh and Everton sits just behind it on goal difference.
Rangers 1-2 Cobresal
A brace from Álvaro Navarro gave Cobresal a surprising away victory over Rangers on Sunday.
Navarro’s strikes from open play came on either side of Fabián Bordagaray’s effort in the 46th minute. Cobresal moves up to fifth in the table, while Rangers sink to ninth.
Iquique 2-1 Unión La Calera
Despite a late fightback, Unión La Calera suffered its first defeat of the Apertura away to Iquique on Sunday.
Midfielder Santiago Romero’s sublime 25 yard effort opened the scoring in spectacular fashion, and striker Cristian Bogado doubled Iquique’s lead in the 58th. Forward Rodrigo Gattas pulled one back in the 65th, though Iquique held out for the win.
Iquique goes 10th while La Calera sits at 12th.
Apertura upcoming fixtures:
Aug. 30, 8 p.m: Antofagasta vs. Everton
Aug. 31, 12:30 p.m: Universidad de Concepción vs. Ñublense
Aug. 31, 3:30 p.m: Unión La Calera vs. Audax Italiano
Aug. 31, 6 p.m: Universidad Católica vs. Cobresal
Aug. 31, 8:30 p.m: O’Higgins vs. Palestino
Sep. 1, 4 p.m: Iquique vs. Huachipato
Sep. 1, 4 p.m: Cobreloa vs. Rangers
Sep. 1, 4 p.m: Colo Colo vs. Unión Española
Sep. 1, 6:30 p.m: Universidad de Chile vs. Santiago Wanderers
Brasil: Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense, Botafogo (100% Carioca) Rio > Säo Paulo
MENGÃO TRI DA AMÈRICA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RlVt8zJhXQ