Audax Italiano, Renewed, Defeats Palestino in Copa Chile

Audax Italiano celebrated a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Palestino in a Copa Chile fixture, marking a significant moment as their first match following the departure of coach Gustavo Lema. The win, achieved under the interim guidance of Pablo Álvarez, came after a disappointing start to the season that saw them lose to Deportes Santa Cruz and led to Lema's resignation.

The match presented numerous challenges for Audax Italiano. Their plans were disrupted when forward Nelson Da Silva received a red card in the 31st minute. Compounding their difficulties, goalkeeper Sebastián Pérez scored an unfortunate own goal just six minutes later, giving Palestino the lead.

Despite being a man down and trailing, Audax Italiano showed resilience. Enzo Roco equalized with a header in the 81st minute from a Jason León cross. The decisive moment came in stoppage time when Vicente Zenteno set up Franco Troyansky, who sealed the 2-1 victory with a powerful shot in the 90+6th minute.

This win places Audax Italiano level on points with Palestino in Group G, though with a lesser goal difference. Both teams have upcoming matches: Palestino faces Deportes Santa Cruz on Saturday, followed by Audax Italiano playing Magallanes shortly after.