Coquimbo Unido thrashed Colo Colo 5-2 this Sunday at Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso stadium in round 24 of the First Division. The reigning champions ended the leaders' unbeaten run, which dated back to April 19, when they lost 0-1 to Palestino at the Monumental.
According to La Tercera, Colo Colo have gone three league matches without a win. They had not conceded five goals in the national league since facing O'Higgins in 2023.
Coach Hernán Caputto's plan worked from the start: high pressing and quick transitions. After 2 minutes, Nicolás Johansen won possession in the opposition half, beat Arturo Vidal and finished as Gabriel Maureira came out to narrow the angle. Maureira was returning in goal in place of Vozinha.
Javier Correa equalized with a free kick in the 22nd minute, but the teams were not level for long. In the next move, following a long goal kick from Diego Sánchez, Johansen struck with his weaker right foot to make it 2-1. In the 28th minute, Guido Vadalá finished another quick break with a shot inside the post for 3-1.
Vadalá was the player of the match, according to La Tercera. Coquimbo's number 10 had already missed a clear chance in the 10th minute, also on a counterattack. His pace repeatedly punished the back three Fernando Ortiz had set up in Colo Colo's 3-4-2-1 formation.
Ortiz made three changes at halftime, bringing on Lucas Pastrán, Iván Román and Marcos Bolados. He took off Joaquín Sosa and switched to a back four, with Vidal in midfield. The King pulled a goal back in the 47th minute with a shot from outside the penalty area.
The adjustment was not enough. In the 58th minute, Benjamín Chandía struck a left-footed shot from a rebound off the post following a header, and in the 81st minute Lucas Pratto, who had come on in the second half, finished another counterattack to make it 5-2.
Colo Colo had welcomed back national team players Jonathan Villagra, Fabián Méndez, Daniel Ulloa and Leandro Hernández, who traveled with Chile on their North American tour. Before this match, Ortiz's team had taken two of the last six available points.
Colo Colo remain top of the table with 54 points, according to BioBioChile. Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile have 42. Universidad de Chile host Ñublense this Monday and could move to within nine points. Universidad Católica's match against Audax Italiano was postponed because of the mudslide in Las Condes.
Coquimbo reached 32 points, climbed to eighth place and are back in contention for a place in international competitions. In the next round, scheduled for October 23 to 25, Colo Colo will visit Palestino and Coquimbo will face Ñublense in Chillán.
