Universidad de Chile defeated O’Higgins 1-0 in a crucial Fecha 28 match of the Liga de Primera, played at Estadio El Teniente in Rancagua. Maximiliano Guerrero’s goal allowed the blues to displace the celestes in the Copa Libertadores qualification spot. Despite playing with one man down from the 60th minute, Gustavo Álvarez’s team held on and earned vital points.
The match, dubbed a 'final' for its stakes in the fight for the Chile 2 spot in the next Copa Libertadores, took place on November 23, 2025, at 18:00. Before kickoff, Universidad de Chile reported an attack on the team bus with stones and noisy fireworks launched between 3 and 4 a.m. at their concentration hotel in Rancagua, disrupting preparations.
The first half was high-intensity. O’Higgins hit the crossbar with Bryan Rabello’s attempt in the 16th minute, and Lucas Di Yorio did the same for U in the 21st. The goal came in the 24th as Maximiliano Guerrero finished close-range from Matías Sepúlveda’s low cross, making it 0-1. A U goal was disallowed in the 40th for Leandro Fernández’s offside, confirmed by VAR.
The second half brought tension. Fabián Hormazábal left injured in the 16th of the first half, replaced by Ignacio Tapia, and Luis Pavez exited at halftime due to concussion, with Nicolás Garrido entering. At 60, Sepúlveda received a second yellow and left U with 10 men; Gustavo Álvarez reorganized with Felipe Salomoni and Marcelo Díaz coming on. O’Higgins pressed with crosses, but Gabriel Castellón made a double save in stoppage time. Felipe Faúndez was sent off in the 90+6 for protesting the referee.
With the win, Universidad de Chile reached 51 points, displacing O’Higgins (50) from third place and trailing UC by three points with six matches left. Attendance was 10,255 at Estadio Codelco El Teniente, with the U section full despite a recent ban on local fans for past incidents. Referee was Felipe Jiménez.
