Colo Colo was crowned as champions of the Chilean Primera División on Sunday after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Copiapó at Estadio Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla.
Colo Colo entered the final matchday holding a two-point lead over Universidad de Chile, requiring a win to guarantee they take home the championship. Even though Colo Colo only managed to secure a draw, it was still enough to lift the trophy, as Universidad de Chile ended up tying with Everton 1-1.
With the two draws, Colo Colo kept their advantage going into the night, ending the season on 67 points while Universidad de Chile finished with 65. It was a record 34th Chilean Primera División championship for Colo Colo, recapturing the title from Huachipato who won in 2023. The first title for the team dates back to 1937.
In addition to their success in the Chilean Primera División, the side has also been able to capture 14 Chile Cup titles and three Supercopa trophies. On the international scene, Colo Colo has also been able to bring home success, winning one Copa Libertadores, one Recopa Sudamericana, and one Interamericana.
Arturo Vidal’s Late Heroics Lead To 1-1 Draw
Most experts had Colo Colo winning easily against the bottom placed Copiapó but despite being in 30th place, the home team put up an inspired fight.
Despite having a huge discrepancy in time of possession and shots on goal, Copiapó was able to hang in there to finish the first half in a scoreless draw. They then struck first in the second half when Felipe Reynero was able to hit the back of the net in the 73rd minute.
With only 17 minutes of regulation left, the Colo Colo fans could be seen visibly nervous with the proceedings. Arturo Vidal calmed their nerves in the 80th minute however with a calm finish to level out the match at 1-1. From there, even though Colo Colo pushed hard for a win that would guarantee them the championship, Copiapó held on to complete the draw.
It should be noted that Colo Colo’s Maximiliano Falcón was not available to play in the match, which meant that Alan Saldivia started.
Although Colo Colo fell short of reaching the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores in their loss to River in the quarter-finals, they continued their great form in the domestic tournament. They ended the season with 21 wins, four draws and five defeats, scoring 49 goals while conceding just 21.
Late Goal By Fredrico Martinez Ruins Chances For Universidad de Chile
After a 1-1 finish in the Colo Colo match, all eyes were on Estadio Nacional as Universidad de Chile had the opportunity to beat Everton to draw level at the top of the leaderboard.
A quick goal from Maximiliano Guerrero had put Universidad de Chile ahead in just the 3rd minute in Santiago. With the momentum on their side, Universidad couldn’t manage to extend the lead however, finishing the half with the 1-0 lead.
Then in the 72nd minute, Uruguayan Federico Martínez equalized for Everton to the delight of the Colo Colo fans. VAR ruled out a goal byLeandro Fernández due to a controversial foul, which kept the game at 1-1 which is how the scoreline ended.
With the draw, Universidad de Chile ended up two points short of pushing the title race to a tie breaker. A win was required to have any chance of winning the title but the Martinez goal ended up being the final dagger in the team’s title hopes.
A complaint by Universidad de Chile ignited controversy a few days before the final matchday. Universidad protested a points request submitted to the tribunal regarding a match between the Colo Colo and Huachipato. The protest declared that head coach Almirón was suspended and still provided instructions that did not adhere to the sports sanction. The complaint was dismissed by the league due to lack of evidence.
