Meneses returned for Cato but couldn’t prevent the draw
With Universidad de Chile heading to Japan via Australia to take part in the Suruga Bank Championship against Kashima Antlers it was another week for those at the top of the Clausura to extend their lead over the winners of the last three Campeonato’s.
Audax Italiano, Cobresal and Rangers done just that as the trio remain beaten having each won two and drawn two. Audax and Rangers in particular recorded emphatic victories; the latter’s defeat of Iquique especially impressive.
On the back of signing exciting forward players both Colo Colo and Universidad Católica looked good value to pick up wins at Unión La Calera and Anotfagasta respectively. But despite both playing to their fans’ expectations in sizeable periods of their matches they were both left disappointed due to conceding to a 90th and 93rd minute equalisers.
Down at the bottom of the table Unión San Felipe edge closer to the drop having picked up one win in 17, while on current form it will be Santiago Wanderers who will be joining them in Primera B.
Can Catolica defend the title they won last year (img: clinic.cl)
The draw for the 2012 Copa Chile was made on Tuesday with the teams from the qualifying rounds joining the 18 Primera Divisón in eight groups of four teams. The groups were split regionally adding extra interest to the group games.
GRUPO 1: Puerto Montt, Unión Temuco, Iberia, Universidad de Concepción
GRUPO 2: Deportes Concepción, Lota Schwager, Ñublense, Huachipato
GRUPO 3: Colchagua, San Antonio Unido, Rangers, O’Higgins
GRUPO 4: Magallanes, Audax Italiano, Unión Española, Universidad Católica
GRUPO 5: Barnechea, Unión San Felipe, Palestino, Colo Colo
GRUPO 6; Santiago Morning, Unión La Calera, Santiago Wanderers, Universidad de Chile
GRUPO 7: Trasandino, Coquimbo Unido, Deportes La Serena, Cobresal
GRUPO 8; Arica, Deportes Iquique, Antofagasta, Cobreloa
Espanola celebrate Diego Scotti’s Golazo! (img: Lanacion)
On this week’s round-up three games are featured with entertainment, golazos, comical defending and some fine goalkeeping on show.
Cobresal created history with their surprise win at an eerie Estadio Monumental as Colo Colo continue to feel the effects of crowd trouble which reared its ugly head the previous week in Rancagua with the death of an O’Higgins fan.
Patricio Rubio and Alvaro Ramos put in a fine performances in attack for Unión Española and Universidad Católica respectively as both Santiago sides picked up three points. Equally impressive was the performance of Cristopher Toselli on goal for Cato.
Elsewhere Universidad de Chile failed to score in Iquique while recent attacking signings continue to impress.
What surprise feat did Eduardo Lobos achieve? (img: elgraficochile)
After last week’s shortened playing calender week two of the 2012 Clausura had the full filling of nine games, taking advantage of the holiday weekend in Chile to spread the games over four days.
There were seven goals in the two games on the Friday night as Audax Italiano continue to search for defensive solidity while Antofagasta slipped nearer to the automatic relegation places in the Annual Standings.
On Saturday there was a surprise scorer for Unión Española as La Furia Roja fell to Cobresal who are a level at the top of the Clausura standings with four other teams, including Colo Colo who took on O’Higgins in our featured game of the weekend.
Perhaps the best game was saved until Monday as we caught our first glance of a slightly different Universidad de Chile in a game that produced seven goals against Deportes La Serena.
Carlos Munoz celebrates in typical fashion (img: Goal.com)
Barely 100 hours had passed after Jhonny Herrea’s third penalty save clinched Universidad de Chile their third successive Campeonato that the Chilean season was back under way as Deportes La Serena and Rangers contested the first game of the 2012 Clausura tournament.
With La U and their final conquests O’Higgins given the weekend off it was a shortened week one calendar with only seven games and at one point it looked as if there would be seven draws until Carlos Muñoz scored a controversial late winner to give Colo Colo three points in the penultimate game of the weekend.
There was also a win for Palestino at Universidad Católica while Cobresal performed admirably to open with a draw despite playing with eight men at one point. However there was only one winner in the game of the weekend; the clásico de colonias where Unión Española and Audax Italiano shared six goals.
After a break of three days the second instalment of the 2012 Chilean league season commences as Deportes La Serena welcome Rangers in the first match of the Clausura this evening. It starts yet another hectic period of Chilean football, especially for those teams involved in the Copa Sudamericana.
On Monday evening past, in Santiago, Universidad de Chile rose from their fatigued slumber to become only the third side to win three consecutive Campeonatos and now, clinging onto Jorge Sampaoli, embark on another frantic journey which will see them look to create history by becoming the first side to win four-straight Campeonates while defending their Copa Sudamericana title and looking to win the Copa Chile and Recopa Sudamericana in Japan against 2011 Copa Libertadores champions Santos.
However it isn’t all going to be about Universidad de Chile. Well the chasing pack certainly hopes not. O’Higgins should continue to grow under Eduardo Berizzo’s stewardship, Unión Española won’t have to combine continental competition and domestic business and Chile’s two other giants both start the new season with new managers but with the loss of a number of key players and promising young talent.
Whilst down at the bottom Cobresal and Unión San Felipe have to play catch up if they are to prevent the likely drop down to Primera B.
Managerial movement
After the inevitable departure of Mario Lepe on the back of Universidad Católica’s exit from the Copa Libertadores, Cato appointed Uruguayan Martín Lasarte as their new coach in the close season.
The 51-year-old spent two seasons at Spanish side Real Sociedad with whom he won promotion to La Liga in his first season. A difficult second season saw him part with the Basque club and Católica is his first management job since. Targeting success with Los Cruzados, he has stated that he is focusing on recruiting experience to aid the likes of Kevin Harbottle and Nicólas Castillo and drive Cato towards challenging Universidad de Chile.
Omar Labruna
Across town at the Estadio Monumental Colo Colo last week appointed Omar Labruna as their new coach. Interim boss Luis Perez was not considered having presided over four and five nil defeats to La U.
At one point in the Apertura Labruna was on the verge of walking out of Audax Italiano due to poor results.
It will be interesting to see the system Labruna lays out for Colo Colo. At Los Tanos he set his team out in a 3-4-1-2 formation; a system Los Tanos is comfortable playing in. It’s anticipated that he may move to a defensive four but will have to work around the departures of Esteban Paredes and Bryan Rabello further forward.
Labruna’s appointment at Los Albos opened the door for Audax Italiano to appoint Argentine Pablo Marini as their new coach. It will be Marini’s second stint in charge of Italiano having been in charge in 2009. He led the club to both the Apertura and Clausura play-offs and the same feat will be expected of him this time around.
Elsewhere Palestino, after a 15th place finish, let go of Uruguayan coach José Daniel Carreño replacing him with Emiliano Astorga who impressively oversaw Unión La Calera’s 7th place finish but left due to conflicts surrounding finances.
La Calera brought in Raúl Toro as the replacement to carry on Astorga’s good work.
Ins and Outs
Here is a link to a comprehensive list of all the transfers so far in the Primera Divisón.
It is unsurprising that players of the three giants of Chilean football, Universidad de Chile, Colo Colo and Universidad Católica, feature heavily.
La U say farewell to Junior Fernándes barely six months after signing; the Chilean internationalist having shot onto most club’s radar with his physical stature and goal scoring ability from a wide forward position. He will look to continue his rise at Bayer Leverkusen. Yet the biggest farewell was left for Marcelo Díaz who moves to Basel after a splendid 18 months playing under Jorge Sampaoli; going from a bit-part, versatile player to the midfield metronome.
La U has brought in Argentine Ezequiel Videla as a replacement in midfield.
New manager Lasarte had little time to get to know Felipe Gutiérrez before he was whisked off to Holland to sign for Steve McLaren’s Twente. The versatile creator should prove a very shrewd signing for Twente, after all it seemed like he was the only Cato player capable of doing anything of note for long periods of the Apertura.
He was joined in the Cato departure lounge to Holland by Stefano Magnasco who joins Groningen.
Lasarte has been busy bringing in Fernando Cordero, a good signing from Unión Española, veteran Sixto Peralta from Cluj in Romania and today he has added two further players to his roster with striker Alvaro Ramos joining from Deportes Iquique and Tomas Costa arriving from Colon de Santa Fe for his second spell at the club.
Arguably the biggest disappointment of the transfer window so far was Colo Colo losing 18-year-old Bryan Rabello to Sevilla. If you were playing Football Manager Rabello would fall into the ‘hot prospect/sign-straight-away-on-the-cheap’ category. And that is exactly what Sevilla have done. His contract had run down and despite willing to stay at the club he has been at most his life his representatives took him to Europe on a deal worth around £400,000 to Colo Colo – a measly figure for one so talented.
At the other end of the age spectrum talismanic striker and Chilean internationalist Esteban Paredes moved to Mexican football with Atlante after contract negotiations broke down.
The only incomer so far is midfielder Fernando de la Fuente who impressed at Deportes La Serena in the Apertura.
Cobreloa have probably been the busiest releasing a number of first team players including Felipe Flores, Cristián Milla and Javier Elizondo.
Copa Sudamericana Draw
The draw for the Copa Sudamericana was made last Friday with five Chilean teams involved; Universidad de Chile, Cobreloa, O’Higgins, Deportes Iquique and Universidad Católica.
Unlike the Copa Libertadores there is no group stage. The teams, excluding those from Argentina and Brail and Universidad de Chile, enter ‘Phase 1’ where they are drawn ‘locally’ in ‘Group South’ and ‘Group North’.
The four remaining Chilean teams enter ‘Group South’ and have drawn the following:
Deportes Iquique v Nacional (URU)
Blooming (BOL) v Universidad Católica
Tacuary (PAR) v Cobreloa
O’Higgins v Cerro Porteño
The games will be played over two legs and the winners will advance to ‘Phase Two’ where the teams from Argentina and Brazil enter. There is no ‘local split’.
Deportes Iquique or Nacional (URU) v Monagas (VEN) or Ecuador 2*
Blooming (BOL) or Universidad Católica v Tolima (COL) or Deportivo Lara
Tacuary (PAR) or Cobreloa v Táchira or Ecuador 1*
O’Higgins or Cerro Porteño v La Equidad (COL) or Mineros (VEN)
*Ecuador’s places have yet to be decided.
The 15 winners of ‘Phase Two’ will join Copa Sudamericana holders Universidad de Chile in the last-16.
The match had entered stoppage time. There were barely five minutes of stoppage time remaining. Universidad de Chile were trailing O’Higgins 3-2 on aggregate in the Apertura play-off final. The end of a glorious era was approaching a heartbreaking finale. This once in a generation team that had won the club its first ever continental title had run out of energy, verve and most importantly ingenuity.
The 101st game was going the same way as the 100th, 98th, 97th and 96th; disappointment and there seemed little Jorge Sampaoli or his players could do about it.
But then a sudden burst from substitute Roberto Cereceda down the right dissected O’Higgins and created space for a cross. On his weaker right foot he clipped the ball into the box. There he was, positioned just as he was in the first-leg, Guillermo Marino. The veteran Argentine may not possess the pace of Junior Fernándes or the explosiveness of Matías Rodríguez or boundless energy of Charles Aránguiz but what he does harness is a technical ability and composure that would not look out of place in some of the best teams in the world. As the ball was clipped to him time seemed to slow, the Estadio Nacional wanted just one more reason to rock but before that came the silence, the intake of breath. Many would panic and thrash at the ball; others would take a touch before being blocked, but not Marino. Where players would lose their heads Marino stalked the ball with his eyes. Marino and the ball, the only two objects that mattered. With his right foot he guided the cross back across goal and into the bottom corner, Luis Marín scraping his fingers against the ball.
O’Higgins are 90 minutes away from completing an historic moment in the club’s 57-year history. Having never won a top division Championship O’Higgins take a slender 2-1 lead into the second-leg of the Apertura play-off final.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that they will have to draw or defeat Universidad de Chile in the Estadio Nacional. Thee Universidad de Chile. The same Universidad de Chile side that recovered from a 4-1 first-leg defeat to Deportivo Quito in the Copa Libertadores by running amok with a 6-0 second-leg victory. And only last week they saw Colo Colo’s 2-0 win in the Apertura semi-final first-leg and rose them with a 4-0 win in the second.
But as Jorge Osorio signalled the end of the game last night the second-leg did not seem to be at the forefront of the players and fans’ thoughts as they cavorted and celebrated a second win over La U in 2012 – another win that they deserved.
Another hectic period of Chilean football culminates in the next few days after almost six months of non-stop football as 18 teams fought it out in the Apertura, three teams took part in the Copa Libertadores and Chile played six games, winning their last four.
But we focus on the Campeonato de Apertura as for the third Campeonato running the teams finishing one and two in the regular 17 games season meet in the play-off final to determine the Apertura winner.
It will be of no surprise that Universidad de Chile are contesting the final. But their opposition, O’Higgins – named after Chile’s founding father Bernardo O’Higgins – are making their first final appearance in their 57 year history; their previous best was third-place finishes in 1978 and 1994.
Semi-final
O’Higgins and Universidad de Chile came through two-legged semi-final ties against Unión Española Colo Colo respectively. The first-leg ties saw both finalists lose as I reviewed here.
O’Higgins knew going into the return-leg that a victory by one goal would take them through due to their higher placed finish in the regular season.
An exciting first-half with both teams creating good opportunities only yielded the one goal as O’Higgins levelled on aggregate through Luis Pedro Figueroa after good work from Boris Sagredo.
But La Furia Roja were back in front shortly after half-time with the equalising goal from Sebastián Jaime – the forward having been played through on goal with a long ball from defence. Yet O’Higgins would win by a single goal once again when Rodrigo Rojas netted ten minutes later.
Trailing by two goals La U had the tougher task but in the end they made it look easy. Earlier in the season they had crushed Colo Colo 5-0 and almost equalled that with the second-leg victory.
The verve that had been missing in their previous matches was back, albeit in stages. Ángelo Henríquez opened the scoring with a fine finish from the edge of the box before the Junior Fernándes that has brought about interest from Bayer Leverkusen re-appeared with a stunning hat-trick; each goal better than the one before.
My words won’t do them justice so watch the highlights below:
O’Higgins
The Rancagua side are looking to become the first team that play south of Santiagio to win a Chilean championship since Huachipato in 1974. Their current situation can be attributed to Eduardo Berizzo, as well as former bosses Jorge Sampaoli and Ivo Basay. The latter pair helped consolidate O’Higgins’ position in the Primera Divisón and Berizzo has carried on the work, surprisingly taking La Celeste to second place in the Apertura standings.
Joint-third highest scorers and the third best defence, Berizzo’s has a balanced side with a potent three in Enzo Gutiérrez – 11 goals in 18 games –, Boris Sagredo and Luis Pedro Figueroa supplied by playmaker Ramon Fernandez. And in Paraguayan midfielder Rodrigo Rojas they have one of the most under-rated players in the division.
Normally playing a 4-2-1-3 O’Higgins are flexible, players capable at playing a variety of positions.
Their best performance was a 3-0 demolition of Universidad de Chile in the opening weeks of the season and they carried that form throughout even if their results were not always as comfortable – 14 of their 21 games have been decided one way or the other by a single goal.
Manager
The man behind the fine work happening in Rancagua is Eduardo Berizzo. Berizzo is no stranger to the Chilean game having served as assistant manager under Marcelo Bielsa’s successful spell in charge of La Roja.
The 42-year-old coach had a successful paying career winning trophies in Argentina with Newell’s Old Boys – where he was managed by Bielsa – and River Plate as well as spells in Europe with Marseille and Celta Vigo.
Berizzo’s team may not play as renowned and aesthetically pleasing football as Bielsa’s teams and Sampaoli’s La U, preferring longer and more direct passes into the front players, but in such a short space of time since taking over he has been effective and instantly got his ideas across to his players winning eight out of the first 11 games.
One to Watch
Rodrigo celebrates his winner against Union Espanola
It would be easy to choose one of O’Higgins’ front four. Gutiérrez has scored goals, Sagredo has brought excitement, Figueroa’s performances have merited a call-up to the national side and Fernández has been at the heart of most attacking moves while chipping in with seven goals.
But for me Rodrigo Rojas is key in quickly moving the ball into the front four while supporting the attack and adding another dimension to La Celeste’s offence. Not only does he provide energy to the central midfield duo but he has provided crucial goals, none more so than the winner against Unión Española to book O’Higgins’ place in the final.
Still only 24 there is every chance he could add to is two caps already garnered for Paraguay.
Universidad de Chile
Universidad de Chile really does not need any introduction as they go in search of their 16th Primera Divsión title. They won both Campeonato’s in 2011 as well as their first continental title with the Copa Sudamericana win.
Much was expected of them again this year having retained the services of Jorge Sampaoli and at one point it looked like the unthinkable could happen by following up with another Primera División success AND a Copa Libertadores title. Especially as they blew Deportivo Quito away with an exhilarating 6-0 win at the Estadio Nacional in the last-16 of the tournament; a performance that may just be the 2012 edition’s finest.
However La U’s exertions in the last year and a half slowly caught up with them. Since Sampaoli took over in early 2011 the team have played 99 games – tonight’s first-leg being his 100th in charge. The loss of Marcos González, Eduardo Vargas and Gustavo Canales became more prevalent as new signings such as Pedro Morales failed to bridge the gap.
They struggled past Libertad in the quarter-finals and were deservedly beaten by Boca over two legs which sandwiched a 2-0 semi-final first-leg loss in the play-offs to Colo Colo.
But like all great teams they bounced back and now find themselves in yet another final as Marcelo Díaz and potentially a few of his team mates as well as Sampaoli look to go out on a high.
2012 has also seen the emergence of wunderkind Ángelo Henríquez. At 17-years-old he burst onto the scene with a spanking goal against Godoy Cruz in the Copa Libertadores and he just didn’t stop; scoring 10 in the Apertura and 4 in the Copa Libertadores. He has shown exactly why Manchester United have agreed a first option that lasts until December 2013.
Manager
It has taken a meandering career through South America for Jorge Sampaoli to appear at the top of the continents game and into the eyes of football fans around the world.
Spells in Peru and Ecuador brought about differing success and there was even a time in charge at La U’s opponents O’Higgins.
In Santiago Sampaoli transformed La U giving the team an identity despite some intial reservations from fans. Any reader of ‘The Red One’ or any that have watched Los Azules will have been excited, thrilled and even left speechless.
The first-leg will see his 100th in charge of La U and in that time he has amassed an almost 75% win record. His success has led to speculation linking him with a move away from the Estadio Nacional. These two games could prove his last in charge.
One to watch
It is difficult to pinpoint a single player after talking about La U so much since starting this blog due to their continued brilliance. But one player who perhaps hasn’t had the recognition and praise he deserves is left-wing back Eugenio Mena.
Like most Chilean players he is versatile and can play as a wide midfielder, a wing-back, full-back and has even covered in as the left-sided centre back of La U’s three.
The reason perhaps he has not had much press is because of the man on the opposite side, Matías Rodríguez: The Flying Machine. However Rodríguez it seems has believed his hype too much and has been playing further forward leaving the right flank vulnerable to attacks.
But on the left-side Mena is Mr Reliable. He plays his position with discipline and distinction while having a great understanding and partnership with defender José Rojas.
He has the stamina of a long-distance runner but can shift over 10, 20, 30 yards when needed providing excellent width higher up the park and a different method of attack.
Surely the abundance of scouts that have watched La U will not have missed Mena’s consistently good performances.
It’s good that the teams finishing one and two in the regular season take part in the Apertura play-off final. However for me there is only one winner – Universidad de Chile.
The way La U came back against Colo Colo in the second-leg after going through arguably the toughest spell under Jorge Sampaoli was tremendous. And with it likely to be a number of players’ last game(s) for the club – and possibly Sampaoli – they will want to finish the best way possible. You could see how much it meant to the players, staff and fans once the full-time whistle was blown after the 4-0 win.
It will be the club’s 100 and 101 games since the beginning of 2011 and it has been showing. But against los albosRodriguez was back to his driving best, the good Junior Fernándes turned up, Henriquez scored again.
O’Higgins will be tough opponents – 14 of their 21 games in 2012 have been decided by a goal. They have already defeated Universidad de Chile 3-0 this year. Yet I thought they were slightly lucky to get past Union Espanola (who would have finished higher if it wasn’t for the Copa Libertadores) over the two legs but they have fantastic attitude under Eduardo Berizzo and if they can get the ball to their front four quick enough especially if it means Ramon Fernandez has space then they will cause La U a lot of problems. Boris Sagredo is pacey and tricky and could exploit La U’s troublesome right flank.
Yet I think the quality and winning mentality that this La U team have will shine through in both legs.
Score Predictions: 1st leg: O’Higgins 1-2 Universidad de Chile, 2nd leg: Universidad de Chile 3-0 O’Higgins
The past weekend saw the commencement of the Apertura play-off semi-finals, and there were surprises in store with the top two of the regular season losing their first-legs without registering a goal.
On Saturday O’Higgins lost 1-0 at Unión Española thanks to a goal from the impressive Emiliano Vecchio and 24 hours later Universidad de Chile succumbed 2-0 to Colo Colo in an empty Estadio Monumental in a surreal encounter with a sodden pitch and two red cards . . . for Colo Colo.
It concluded a miserable week for La U who arguably put in their most insipid display under Jorge Sampaoli at La Bombonera against Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores semi-final first-leg. La U are now required to overturn two two goal deficit’s this week in two separate competitions.
In more positive news San Marcos de Arica triumphed in the Primera B Apertura to collect their first divisional title since 1981 and confirm their place in the end of season promotion play-offs.
