Municipal Salamanca and Provincial Osorno shared a hard-fought contest in the Promotion Group - 5 of the Segunda División on Saturday. The match ended 2:1 to Osorno despite Salamanca taking an early lead before half-time. Both sides remained unbeaten through twelve league games, though the result leaves Salamanca second on 22 points while Osorno stay top with 24.
J. Gutierrez gave Salamanca the advantage in the 45th minute, slotting home two minutes into stoppage time. The hosts pressed forward into the second half, but Osorno responded quickly. M. Quinteros equalised in the 51st minute before completing his brace six minutes later, finishing from close range after Salamanca had gifted the goal through poor defending.
The match grew increasingly fractious after Osorno's second goal. B. Valdes received a yellow card in the 65th minute before being sent off five minutes later for a second booking. Osorno's C. Soto was also dismissed late on, but Salamanca could not capitalise on having an extra man. The hosts threw bodies in the way and looked for a response, but Osorno refused to go away.
Salamanca dominated possession at 54 per cent and earned 12 corners compared to Osorno's single corner, yet the statistics tell an uneven story. The hosts registered 10 shots but only three found the target, while Osorno managed just four shots with one on goal. Many chances went begging for Salamanca, who ended a barren spell with one goal but could not add to their tally.
Both managers made several changes as the match progressed. Salamanca brought on F. Carmona, M. Clerveaux and D. Gonzalez in quick succession around the 74th minute, while Osorno introduced L. Meneses and J. Arias earlier in the second half. The substitutions did not shift the balance of the game, and the result stands as it was.
The outcome matters for the narrow gap at the summit of the table. Osorno extend their lead to two points over Salamanca, though both sides have played the same number of matches. The line has barely moved in the standings, but the margin between first and second could prove decisive in the final stages of the promotion race.
