Into the channels: 28/11/2014

O'Higgins 1 - 1 Audax Italiano

On Wednesday, I watched The Strongest contest the La Paz derby with Bolivar. Crossing the south western border into Chile on Friday evening provided further intriguing football club names for this Anglophone, and another 1-1 draw.

O'Higgins are managed by Facundo Sava.

They are named after Bernardo O'Higgins, who helped lead Chile to independence from Spain in a war beginning in 1810 and culminating in a declaration of independence in 1818.

O'Higgins are known as Il Capo de Provinica - or boss of the province

Audax Italiano was originally a cycling club, founded in 1910, but took up football in 1917. They are not alone amongst Primera Division teams in bearing the name of the immigrant community that founded the club: the origins of Palestino and Unión Española are similarly umambiguous.

It was a nice evening in Racangua, in the middle of Chile

Players like Yerson Opazo realised quite early on that chipping the ball in behind the Audax defence resulted in chances for strikers.

Facundo Sava: no longer in danger of being sued by DC Comics

Diego Chaves almost scores for O'Higgins after a minute

Another Uruguayan, Octavio Rivero, gives the home side the lead shortly afterwards

Rivero's 10th of the season was lifted over the Audax keeper, after a deft turn and pass from Gaston Lezcano

The pace of Chile international winger Bryan Carrasco was Audax's biggest threat early on. But O'Higgins knew this. And so did Carrasco. So when Audax had several men forward on a breakaway mission, it was Carrasco who was closed down quickest in possession, and forced backwards, eventually giving the ball away in the process of beating the entire O'Higgins defence.

To throw a British phrase into this hotpot of cultures, his display was a bit write the theme tune, sing the theme tune.

Bryan Carrasco approves of that cross

The majority of the second half was played out in the 20 yards immediately to the right of the half way line, in O'Higgin's half. They didn't seem to mind much. The Audax attack was based upon the explosive pace of their wingmen, so if O'Higgins could keep play slow and in the middle of the pitch, they had control.

Audax's only hope was to find space along the flanks

Eventually, the strength and persistence of the 5'7", 21 year-old Felipe Mora enabled him to push past the O'Hi O'Hi defence, and find Audax's other quick young forward, Diego Valdes.

Valdes' goal livened things up somewhat, and play became quicker and more open.

O'Higgins played a good pass-and-move game, but created few chances

Once O'Higgins started to commit men to attack, Audax were able to find more space when they went forward.

This foul drew a penalty

Jorge Carranzo saves!

O'Higgins laid siege to the Audax goal, but paid the price for their earlier complacency