O'Higgins cruise past Reconquista in Chile Cup
O'Higgins secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Reconquista in the sixth round of the Chile Cup group stage on Thursday evening. The visitors moved ahead early through a penalty from T. Vecino before C. Cepeda equalised moments later, setting up an open second half. Reconquista's day turned sour when F. Baez was sent off, and O'Higgins took full advantage of the numerical advantage.
The first half ended with the score level after two goals in quick succession. Vecino converted from the spot in the fortieth minute, but Cepeda responded within two minutes to make it 1-1. The visitors then made a double change at half-time, bringing on D. Viveros for Cepeda, though the Chilean stayed on to help shape the game's direction.
What followed was a clear shift in momentum. Baez's red card in the fifty-seventh minute left Reconquista with ten men, and to be fair, O'Higgins did not let the situation pass them by. They had already seen the game open up, and now they simply needed to find the right moments. S. Toloza also picked up a yellow card in the same minute, but the disciplinary concern was secondary to the tactical change.
O'Higgins doubled their lead through T. Aviles in the seventy-third minute, then J. Tapia added a third just six minutes later. Reconquista made several changes in a bid to respond, but the result was beyond doubt by then. The hosts' substitutions — Felipe Ogaz, F. Flores, R. Riveros, N. Arismendy and M. Maturana — could not alter the course of the match.
O'Higgins dominated the numbers, registering 21 shots with 11 on target compared to Reconquista's 14 shots and 6 on target. Possession leaned in their favour at 54 per cent, though the decisive factor was not volume but efficiency. They hit the target at a higher rate and converted three chances from six attempts on goal.
The result leaves O'Higgins in a strong position within the group, while Reconquista now face a mountain to climb. With five matches already played on either side, this defeat puts pressure on their remaining fixtures. The group stage has barely begun, but the gap is growing.