UC Suffers Late Defeat to Ñublense, Loses Third Place in League

Universidad Católica experienced a disheartening 1-2 loss to Ñublense at the Claro Arena, a result that saw them surrender third place in the Liga de Primera standings. The defeat, occurring in the 20th round of the league, further diminishes their already slim chances of contending for the title.

The match took a difficult turn for Universidad Católica early on when Fernando Zuqui received a red card for a foul on Matías Plaza, confirmed by VAR in the 8th minute. Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage, the team managed to hold off Ñublense's attacks for a significant portion of the game. Fernando Zampedri came close to scoring for Universidad Católica with a long-range shot that narrowly missed the target in the 34th minute.

However, the tide turned in the second half. Esteban Calderón opened the scoring for Ñublense in the 48th minute with a header from a Lucas Molina cross. Universidad Católica managed to equalize through a penalty converted by Zampedri in the 75th minute. But the late drama saw Ignacio Jeraldino score the winning goal for Ñublense in the 88th minute, heading in a free-kick from Fernando Ovelar, silencing the home crowd celebrating the stadium's anniversary.

This outcome places Ñublense in third position with 32 points, while Universidad Católica remains in fourth with 30 points. Universidad Católica is scheduled to play Coquimbo Unido next, while Ñublense will face Deportes Concepción.