Universidad de Chile climbs to the top with a third straight win over Curicó Unido in La Granja
The Blues claimed a decisive 3-1 victory over Curicó Unido at La Granja, marking Mauricio Pellegrino’s side as the leaders at the start of the sixth round of the National Championship 2023. The win extended a three-match winning streak, the longest run the club had enjoyed since February 2020 when they defeated Banda Sangre, Unión La Calera and Santiago Wanderers in succession.
Leandro Fernández opened the scoring just before halftime with a precise low finish after a superb setup from Federico Mateos. In the second half, Fernández struck again in the 61st minute, arriving on a rebound and firing a powerful long-range shot to widen the gap. Nicolás Guerra added a third for the Blues with a well-placed right-footed effort from inside the box in the 70th minute, sealing the result. Diego Coelho pulled one back for Curicó Unido in the 79th minute by converting a rebound after a blocked shot off the post, but the late goal proved merely cosmetic.
With this result, Universidad de Chile moved to 12 points and briefly shared the lead with Huachipato. Curicó Unido, coached by Damián Muñoz, remained in tenth place with six points after another challenging performance.
In the upcoming schedule, Universidad de Chile will visit Unión La Calera at Santa Laura, while Curicó Unido travels to O’Higgins in El Teniente. The two teams had recently faced each other in the Copa Libertadores Stage 2, where Curicó Unido fell by the minimum after a tough match at the Monumental.
The match details, including lineups, substitutions and key incidents, are summarized in the game graphics below.
Final note: Universidad de Chile extended its unbeaten run to three matches and shares the top spot with Huachipato.
90′ 7 minutes of added time were played.
79′ GOOOAAL FOR CURICÓ UNIDO! A long-range strike from Fritz deflects off a defender, hits the post, and Diego Coelho converts the rebound to pull one back.
75′ The Albirrojos pushed to reduce the deficit. A cross from González reached Federico Castro, who headed toward goal but narrowly missed.
70′ GOOOAAAL UNIVERSITY OF CHILE! Nicolas Guerra receives the ball near the edge of the area and drives a precise shot into the far corner to close out the scoring.
61′ GOOOOOOOOOOL FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CHILE! Federico Mateos, after a recovery, unleashes a long-range drive that finds its mark. It is his second goal of the season for the team, matching his tally from 38 appearances with Ñublense.
53′ Curicó Unido pulls one back. A sharp cross from Barrios is met by Federico Castro, but Cristóbal Campos makes the crucial save to deny the equalizer.
The second half took place at La Granja, following a compact first period. The break offered a moment for teams to regroup and set the tone for the final 45 minutes.
45′ + 2 Cristóbal Campos makes a spectacular save, tipping Agustín Nadruz’s powerful strike over the bar and guiding the resulting set piece to safety.
42′ GOOOOAAL FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CHILE! Leandro Fernández finishes from close range after a smart assist from Federico Mateos, opening the scoring in La Granja.
40′ A memorable sequence began with a daring run from Darío Osorio, culminating in a shot by Leandro Fernández that nearly found the net at a difficult angle.
38′ The U threatened again when Israel Poblete headed toward goal after a neat setup from Nicolás Guerra, but the effort sailed over the bar.
29′ Darío Osorio fired narrowly wide with a left-footed shot after a quick buildup in the Curicó defense.
15′ A potential U goal was ruled out after a Nicolás Guerra handball, despite August Neighborhoods having converted a cross, as the referee signaled a previous infringement.
12′ Curicó Unido created an early chance through a sequence that involved Ronald de la Fuente and Omar Merlo, but Cristóbal Campos prevented any early damage with a solid save.
1′ Universidad de Chile opened their first attack with a long-distance effort from Leandro Fernández that missed the target, as the action got underway at La Granja.
The match at La Granja drew a crowd and featured the protagonists ready to contest the sixth round of Chile’s top flight.
Curicó Unido’s XI was organized to respond, while Universidad de Chile showcased a familiar setup, with notable contributions from Leandro Fernández, Federico Mateos and Darío Osorio as the attack trio, supported by Israel Poblete and Nicolás Guerra in midfield and defense anchored by Matias Zaldivia, Jose Castro and others.
The Blue team prepared for this fixture with a clear plan, selecting a lineup designed to control possession and pace the game through quick transitions and set pieces. The ongoing campaign keeps Universidad de Chile on a trajectory toward the top of the table, with a proven track record against Curicó Unido in recent meetings, continuing a historic edge in the series (Goal).
Note: The article summarizes team performance, key moments, and tactical highlights of the match, with attribution to Goal as the source of the detailed game report.
Source: Goal