Chile's O'Higgins defeated Colombia's Deportes Tolima 1-0 at home in the third stage of the Copa Libertadores. As reported by the Argentine News Agency, the team coached by Argentine Lucas Bovaglio reached this stage by making history in Brazil last week, eliminating Bahía on penalties at the Arena Fonte Nova. Meanwhile, the Colombian team, led by Lucas González Vélez, advanced to this phase, also on penalties, by eliminating Venezuelan Deportivo Táchira last Thursday at home. The match, played at El Teniente Stadium in the Chilean city of Rancagua, was broken open in the 37th minute when forward Kevin Flores, who had come on in the 6th minute for the injured Edwar López, committed a horrific tackle on the head of Argentine defender Alan Robledo. Flores saw a red card and was sent off, while the O'Higgins player had to be replaced by Nicolás Garrido. Towards the end of the first half, the Chilean team took the lead with a goal from Argentine Newell's Old Boys player, Francisco González. Peruvian team player, the historic 'rojiblanca' national team player Yoshimar Yotún, scored the goal to define the series with his fans next Wednesday at the Alejandro Villanueva stadium. After a clearance by Brayan Rovira on the edge of the area, the ball was on the right vertex for Luis Alberto Pávez, who headed it back into the area where González controlled it with his chest, faced one-on-one with Brazilian goalkeeper Neto Volpi, defined it crosswise and put the 1-0. In the second half, with 10 minutes left in the match, midfielder Felipe Ogaz saw a red card and was sent off for O'Higgins after tripping Jader Valencia from behind. With this result, the Chilean team will take a lead to the return match on Wednesday at the Manuel Murillo Toro stadium to define one of the four qualified teams for the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. In the first turn of this Wednesday's Copa Libertadores day, Peru's Sporting Cristal defeated Venezuela's Carabobo 1-0 at the Misael Delgado Polideportivo.
