Universidad de Concepción defeated O’Higgins 3–2 on November 8, 2026, at the Estadio Municipal Ester Roa Rebolledo in a dramatic finish for round 27 of the Liga de Primera 2026.
Late Drama in Concepción
Led from the bench by Cristián Muñoz, the home side built a comfortable two-goal cushion before halftime. Cristopher Mesías opened the scoring with a low left-footed shot from outside the area in the 39th minute. Just two minutes later, thanks to a great first-touch pass from Iam González, Harol Salgado escaped in speed to double the lead with a low shot.
Before this encounter, the squad found itself locked in a difficult battle to escape the relegation zone, while the Rancagua visitors aimed to collect points to distance themselves from any threat. O’Higgins initially tried to press high, and early in the match, an easy turnover in defense led to a powerful strike by a player against a goalpost.
Despite the early pressure from the visitors, the home side struck twice in quick succession toward the end of the opening period, leaving the Celestes stunned and forcing them to rethink their strategy beyond the speed of Bastián Yáñez and the slower, more predictable management of Ignacio Schor.
O’Higgins, directed by Lucas Bovaglio, responded before the break when Esteban Moreira scored with a header from a free kick just outside the area in stoppage time (45’+1). Tomás Avilés later equalized for the visitors in the 71st minute following a team buildup and a backheel pass from Santiago Toloza.
During the second half, the visitors searched for alternatives through the flanks with Pavez and Faúndez, while Universidad de Concepción closed down well defensively and even threatened to score through an attempted bicycle kick by Rogelio Funes Mori that a defender blocked with his body.
When the match appeared headed for a draw, a defensive error in the 89th minute by Alan Robledo when attempting a clearance allowed Moisés González to capture the loose ball inside the penalty area and define with a low shot to secure the victory for Universidad de Concepción.
The win lifted the team to 26 points, keeping them in the penultimate position and leaving them one point behind Cobresal in the battle against relegation.
O’Higgins Sits in 12th Place Before Upcoming Matches
O’Higgins remains in 12th place with 31 points after the loss, keeping them in a precarious position near the bottom of the table with three matches remaining.
For the next round of fixtures, Universidad de Concepción will host Ñublense, while O’Higgins will play Universidad de Chile at home.