The Crusaders stopped a five-game winless streak by beating León de Atacama at Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla, keeping their tournament momentum on track.
Catholic University stood firm again in the 2023 National Championship, defeating Sports Copiapo 4-1 at the Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla, in a match from the fourteenth round. Led by Ariel Holan, the team picked up three valuable points after suffering two losses and three draws. The Las Condes side had last tasted victory earlier in the season on March 3, a 2-1 win over Ñublense in Chillán, with goals from Alexander Aravena and Fernando Zampedri.
The opening blow arrived in the 28th minute when referee Cristian Garay pointed to a foul by Marco Medel on Cristián Cuevas inside the Copiapó box. Fernando Zampedri converted from the spot, sending the ball to the left of the goalkeeper. In the first half, Zampedri found the net again from 11 yards after a deflected attempt by Ian Toro on Cuevas, a decision supported after a VAR check.
Aravena’s goal tally rose to 94 in 145 appearances for the Crusaders, and he moved level with Milovan Mirosevic for the club’s all-time top scorer among outfield players. The Argentine forward has tallied 70 goals in domestic league play, eight in the Copa Chile and Copa Libertadores, six in the Copa Sudamericana, and two in the Super Cup.
In the second half, Aravena and César Pinares delivered the decisive blows. At 56 minutes, Matías Dituro parried a long-range effort, Franco Di Santo kept the move alive with a clever pass to the lurking Monito, who found the net but was thwarted only by a last-ditch save. At 73 minutes, Pinares slotted the ball into the corner with a precise left-footed strike that left Copiapó’s goalkeeper grounded. John Valladares then capped the night with a header from a cross by Manuel López at 88 minutes, sealing the result for UC.
With this victory, the Crusaders climbed to fourth place on 22 points, six behind the leaders Huachipato. They still have a pending match known as the Student Classic against Universidad de Chile, which was suspended on April 30 due to incidents. Copiapó remained near the bottom of the table on 13 points.
Looking ahead, the next day would see UC hosting Unión La Calera at Santa Laura, while Héctor Almandoz’s squad would travel to Everton in Sausalito to push their campaign toward safety from relegation.
In the match analyses and lineups, the following notes stood out: 92 minutes saw a brilliant stop by Dituro to deny Juan Jaime, leaping to his right to push away a powerful strike. At 88 minutes, Valladares headed home from Manuel López’s cross to pull Copiapó back into the contest. A moment earlier, an offside call erased a Copiapó goal after a one-on-one with Dituro and a subsequent finish by Maximiliano Quinteros was ruled out due to a handball in the build-up. 73 minutes brought another UC goal, as César Pinares finished with a precise left-footed strike following a quick sequence from Zampedri and Aravena.
In the 74th minute, Pinares added another goal for Universidad Católica, finishing as if guided by instinct at the near post after a cross from Zampedri and a misstep by Leyton. The celebration on social media showed a moment that signaled UC’s control of the match, captured in post-match clips from TNT Sports Chile.
At 65 minutes Copiapó pulled a consolation back through Valladares, who ran onto a ball in the box and found Quinteros, though Dituro remained alert to the second attempt. Earlier, in the 57th minute, Aravena had already put UC firmly ahead with a decisive finish after Dituro’s decisive involvement and a precise pass by Di Santo. The strike marked Aravena’s sixth league goal of the season, underscoring his key role in UC’s attack.
The 57th-minute UC goal made the scoreline 0-3, a stunning moment that illustrated the distance between the two sides on the night. The subsequent 48th-minute effort by Zampedri, a header from Aravena’s cross, was, however, saved by Leyton. The match commentary highlighted Dituro’s exceptional reflexes and the dynamic forward movement of UC’s attacking trio throughout the game.
The ball advanced into play as the match progressed, and the narrative of the night showcased Universidad Católica’s discipline and clinical finishing. The match also underscored the tactical balance achieved by the UC squad under Holan, combining solid defense with rapid transitions and efficient finishing in the final third.
Formations heading into kick-off reflected UC’s strengths: Dituro in goal, a backline consisting of Nieto, González, Parot, and Mena, with Saavedra, Pinares, and Cuevas in the middle, and a front three of Di Santo, Zampedri, and Aravena. Copiapó fielded a compact setup aimed at pressuring UC high up the pitch, with the forwards looking to exploit any space behind the high line.
The match offered a vivid snapshot of Chilean football’s competitive depth and the ongoing drive of Universidad Católica to climb the table while Copiapó contends with the challenges of the season’s lower end. The event drew attention from fans and analysts alike, as observers tracked how UC would carry this momentum into their next fixtures and whether Copiapó could rediscover the form that propelled them to surprising results earlier in the campaign.
These assessments reflect the broad interest in the National Championship, where teams in Canada and the United States can follow South American league action through coordinated media coverage and club communications. This match illustrated the importance of strategic game management, finishing quality, and timely defending in shaping a team’s trajectory across the season, echoing the broader themes seen across North American and international football markets.
Note: This report summarizes on-field events and highlights from the Copiapó vs. Universidad Católica contest, incorporating official game actions, goals, and notable moments as recorded by match broadcasts and post-match analyses.