At Estadio Municipal de la Florida on 13 September 2026, A. Italiano secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over O'Higgins in the Primera División's regular season, round 23. The hosts, sitting 11th with 28 points, took all three against their 13-placed visitors who sit on 27 points after 23 matches.
Everything turned on the 27th minute when Giovani Chiaverano Meroi found the net for the only goal. It was a match decided by moments, and that moment came early. By then O'Higgins had already set their tempo, but Italiano kept their side in it through discipline and structure.
The game tightened as it progressed. Paolo Guajardo picked up a yellow card in the 66th minute, and O'Higgins were reduced to ten men when F. Loyola was sent off in the 90+11th minute. The visitors threw everything at it after the dismissal, but the hosts weathered the storm to hold on.
Statistics tell an uneven story. O'Higgins dominated possession at 64 per cent and registered 126 attacks to Italiano's 110, yet the hosts created more from less. The visitors had six shots on target but Italian goalkeeper Thomas Aumarada made six saves. Italiano managed only three shots on target and scored once — a reminder that cup football has its own rules, though this was league football.
What this means is straightforward. Italiano move to 31 points, while O'Higgins remain level on 27. The gap between them narrows, and for the visitors this feels like a missed opportunity to climb. We had backed the hosts at 42 per cent confidence, and the result confirms that intuition — sometimes the team with less possession takes more from their chances.