Colo Colo 3 Everton 4 (Agg: 6 - 5)

Estadio Monumental, Santiago, Chile

El Salvador, 27.11.04 Despite losing 1-0 in normal play and then 3-1 on penalties to Cobresal, in the northern, desert mining town of El Salvador, Everton passed through to the quarter-finals of the Chilean First Division Championship play-offs thanks to last weeks victory (3-2) in the first leg.

Although confusion reigns over who plays who, Everton, as one of the two best losers (!) will play Colo Colo. The first leg is 22:00 (local time) on Thursday, 1st December at the Sausalito, Viña del Mar, the second leg, Sunday, 5th December at the Monumental, Santiago (time to be confirmed).

Colo Colo are undoubtedly Chile’s largest club – however, Everton did earn a valuable away draw in the league last month. (30/11/04)

* Report 1. The parallel universe that exists in Chile with C.D. Everton, continued to echo the fortunes of our own Everton last night. C.D. Everton, who at the start of the season were prime candidates to prop up the rest of the division, took a large step to reaching the quarter-finals of the "Closing" league play-offs, after beating Cobresal 3-2 in the Sausalito. With eight teams from the twelve competing in the sixth-finals (don't ask me, ask the Chilean F.A.) going through to the quarter-finals, even a defeat in the return leg in El Salvador on Sunday could see the Oro y Cielo through.

After taking an early lead, the home side were 1-2 down just after half time. A penalty (coupled with a sending-off) brought matters level, with the winner coming 15 minutes from time. By this time, the visitors had been reduced to 9 men and were happy to hang on to the narrow defeat.

What are the odds on a Tokyo fixture in the near future?

* Report 1. Last night (24/11), CD Everton took an important step towards making the next round of matches in the play-off phase of the Chilean championship with this 3:2 win away to Cobresal in the first leg. The Ruleteros got off to a great start, going in front on 3m with Cristián Castañeda heading home from a Daniel González corner. Cobresal equalised on 34m through the Argentinian Roberto González. Ruleteros coach Garcés wasn’t happy with his defense and tried to tighten things up in the second half but the home team deservedly went 2:1 up through César Santis. This goal seemed to act as a wake-up call for the Ruleteros who started to put a bit of pressure on the Cobresal goal. On 58m, Everton was awarded a penalty for a foul on Daniel González by Alejandro Acosta who was shown the red card. Héctor “El Galleta” Suazo scored from the spot. Cobresal were then reduced to 10 men after Alaín Astudillo was sent off for kicking “El Galleta” and from then on it was all Everton with Martín Cross sealing the victory on 73m.
Everton can now look forward to the return leg at the Estadio Sausalito this coming Sunday 28 November. (24/11/04)

The Ruleteros went into this game knowing that only a victory would be enough to see them progress to the play-off phase of the Chilean national championship. Everton had failed to beat Puerto Montt in either of their two meetings this season and the home team started as favourites to go through, needing only a draw due to their superior goal difference (and the complicated rules of the Chilean league system!).
As was to be expected, Puerto Montt started brightly but it was Everton who took the lead against the run of play on 6m as Jorge Delgado took advantage of an error by Salmoneros ‘keeper Paulo Garcés. Despite Nelson Crossa almost extending Everton’s lead, Puerto Montt equalised on 26m through Jorge Torres. In an attempt to go all out for the victory, Ruleteros coach Jorge Garcés brought on Héctor Suazo in the second half and with his first touch, “El Galleta” scored what turned out to be the winning goal after Crossa’s shot rebounded off the bar. With so much at stake, tempers got a bit frayed and both sides ended up with ten men as Santiago Pizarro (Everton) and César Cortés (Puerto Montt) were sent off.
The play-off phase starts on Wednesday 24 November (21h) with the matches as follows:

Unión San Felipe - Universidad Católica
Coquimbo Unido - Colo Colo
Deportes Temuco - Universidad de Chile
Everton - Cobresal
Unión Española - Universidad de Concepción
Cobreloa - Audax Italiano

Despite losing 2:1 away to Unión Española (7/11), CD Everton made the play-offs as a result of U. Concepción beating Huachipato, Everton’s nearest rivals in the table. The Ruleteros started brightly in Santa Laura taking an early lead through Daniel González after good work by Héctor Suazo and Jorge Delgado. The home side got back on terms quickly on 14m with José Luis Sierra scoring from a free kick following a foul by Héctor Rodriguez on Pedro González. Both sides had further chances but the first half ended all square. In the second half, Unión Española started to take control of the match and on 62m Sebastián Rozental scored from a Pedro González cross with only good work by Everton ‘keeper Carlos Toro preventing Unión Española from extending their lead.
After last night’s results, Everton will now have to play either Puerto Montt or Coquimbo Unido away on 21 November and if the Ruleteros are to progress to the second phase of the championship, they will have to improve on their away form although a draw will be enough to see Everton through. (10/11/04)

Final match: away to U. Española (date and time tbc) (05/11/04)

With just 2 matches to go, CD Everton kept their hopes alive of making the play-offs with a 1-1 draw away to Colo Colo at the Estadio Monumental yesterday evening (28/10). As was to be expected, Colo Colo started strongly, putting Carlos Toro’s goal under tremendous pressure but it was Everton who almost opened the scoring on 18m when a mistake in the home defense presented Delgado with what looked like a simple chance but somehow he contrived to miss it. This proved to be a costly miss as Colo Colo took the lead on 40m through Juan Lorca despite a valiant attempt by Ruleteros ‘keeper Toro to keep the ball out. Colo Colo continued to pressurise the Everton defense in the second half but the Ruleteros, with Daniel González looking comfortable in midfield and Ormeño providing a bit of width on the right, equalised on the counterattack through Delgado who made up for his earlier miss by heading home a Flores cross. Colo Colo were denied a penalty before Delgado was sent off but 10-man Everton held out for a well-deserved and valuable draw.

Next match: at home to Rangers on Wednesday 3 November.

After 3 successive defeats CD Everton got back to winning ways with a 2:0 home win last night (24/10) against Coquimbo at the Estadio Sausalito. An excellent first-half display was enough to earn Everton the points as Daniel González opened the scoring after playing a one-two with Delgado. The match was a good as settled in 34m when Álvaro Ormeño headed home a Nicolás Diez cross.

Next match: away to Colo Colo – Thursday 28 October.

In a stormy encounter yesterday evening (25 September) in the Estadio Sausalito in which both teams ended the match with 10 men, CD Everton bounced back from last week’s 6:0 drubbing at the hands of Cobreloa to beat U. Concepción. A goal from Álvaro Ormeño gave the Ruleteros a first-half lead before Renzo Yáñez brought the visitors level after some good work from Figueroa. U. Concepción started to take control of the midfield but it was Everton who took the lead against the run of play. Ruleteros coach Garcés brought on Álvaro Villalón to tighten up the Everton midfield and the substitute set up Héctor “Galleta” Suazo for what turned out to be the winner. The referee then sent off Concepción’s Juan José Ribera along with Everton ‘keeper Roberto González. As Garcés had already made his three substitutions, defender Héctor Rogriguez went in goal, and despite some heavy pressure from the visitors, Everton held on to claim all three points.

Next match: away to Temuco (date and time tbc)

Next match: U. Concepción (home) on Saturday 25 September. (21/09/04)

A goal from Álvaro Ormeño was enough to give Everton a well-deserved victory last night (7 September) away to high-flying Cobresal at the Estadio El Cobre de El Salvador. It was Everton’s first victory under new coach Jorge Garcés. Third-placed Cobresal started strongly, hitting the post with a long-range effort from Juan Cisternas, but it was the Ruleteros who took the lead on 35m when Ormeño took advantage of a mistake by José Contreras to beat Cobresal ‘keeper, Sergio Migliaccio. Cobresal put some pressure on the Everton goal in the second half but Everton held out to claim the points.
The win leaves Everton in 8th place with 9 points from 7 matches.

Next match: at home to Audax Italiano (Sunday 12 September) (09/09/04)

Last Sunday (29 August) a disappointing crowd turned up at the Sausalito Stadium to see Jorge Garcés take charge of his first match as Ruleteros coach following the sacking of Jorge Socías. However, the 0:0 draw against reigning champions Universidad de Chile was a dull affair. Everton thought they had taken the lead on 9m when Héctor Suazo scored from an Alejandro Escalona cross but the referee disallowed it for what he claimed was a foul on U. Chile ‘keeper Johnny Herrera. Both sides created chances as the first half came to an end. In the second half Garcés brought on Jorge “Chispa” Delgado and Martín Crossa for Suazo and Flores respectively but both players spurned good goal-scoring chances and, despite the efforts of Álvaro Villalón, the game ended goalless.
The draw leaves Everton in 13th position on 6 points from 6 matches

Next match: Cobresal (away) on 8 September.

Evertonian Wins Olympic Gold

On a brighter note, this weekend, CD Everton fan Nicolás Massú won 2 tennis gold medals in Athens (Men's Singles and Doubles); he's the first Chilean (and possibly the first Evertonian!?) to win an Olympic gold medal...attached is a copy of the front page of today's El Mercurio newspaper with a photo of Nicolás (left) with the first of his 2 medals.
Cheers, Adrian. (23/08/04)

CD Everton’s chances of reaching the play-offs of the closing phase of the championship were dealt a massive blow with this 3-0 defeat away to La Serena at the Estadio La Portada last night (21 August). The Ruleteros started brightly, creating some good chances which Delgado failed to convert. La Serena took the lead after an Everton attack broke down and it was only good work from Everton ‘keeper González which prevented the home side from extending their lead. La Serena did manage to go 2-0 up early in the second half and this forced Ruleteros coach Socías into making changes, bringing on Villalón and Varas for Crossa and González. The changes made little difference as La Serena scored a third goal to seal a victory which puts them ahead of Everton on goal difference. Everton has now dropped to 13th position with 5 points from 5 matches.

Next match: at home to U. de Chile, Sunday 29 August at 16h. (22/08/04)

CD Everton went into yesterday’s match (15 August) unbeaten in the closing phase of the championship and in good heart after last week’s victory over Huachipato. The hero of that win, Crossa, had a couple of good chances to put the Ruleteros ahead early in the first half but those missed chances would prove costly as Palestino grew in confidence. Only a great save from Everton ‘keeper González denied Esteban “Huevo” Valencia the chance to open the scoring for the visitors. Another great save from González helped Everton go in all square at half-time. In the second half, Everton coach Socías brought on Jorge Delgado for the injured Luis Flores. Delgado had chances to put Everton ahead but it was Palestino who took the lead as “Shrek” Fabbiani finished a great move after good work down the right by Segovia and Castillo. In a desperate attempt to get the equaliser, Socías brought on Villalón and Daniel González but to no avail. Everton were denied a clear penalty after Villalón was brought down and Álvaro Ormeño hit the post towards the end. This unexpected defeat leaves Everton in 10th place with 5 points from 4 games.

Next match: away to La Serena (Saturday 21 August at 21h)

CD Everton 2 Huachipato 0 (11 August 2004)

CD Everton beat Huachipato 2:0 on Wednesday evening (11 August) to register their first win of the closing phase of the championship. Without playing particularly well, the Ruleteros scored early on in each half to seal the victory. On 12m, Martín Crossa scored from an Álvaro Ormeño cross after a dummy from Luis Flores. Huachipato pushed for an equaliser but ‘keeper González made a series of important saves to help Everton go in 1:0 up at half-time. After the break, Huachipato continued to pressurise the home defense and on 55m Morales hit the post with González well beaten. However, one minute later, Everton extended their lead as Crossa diverted a Luis Flores shot past unlucky Huachipato ‘keeper, Alex Whiteley.
The victory leaves Everton in 6th place on 5 points from 4 games.

Next match: at home to Palestino (Sunday 15 August, k.o. 4pm)