Colo Colo returned to winning ways in Chile’s Biobío region, beating Racing 2-1 in a friendly at the Ester Roa Rebolledo stadium in Concepción. The Chilean side, coached by Fernando Ortiz, were the better team for most of the match, and the game also marked Fernando de Paul’s return to the starting lineup.
Gedeón Díaz opens the scoring
Colo Colo came closest early on, when Lautaro Pastrán got into the box and shot wide. Racing responded with a header that De Paul gathered comfortably. The hosts soon broke the deadlock: Francisco Marchant delivered a cross, Maximiliano Romero laid the ball off, and Gedeón Díaz controlled it and drilled a right-footed finish into the net in the 12th minute.
The first goal was followed by a spell with few chances, as the midfield battle dominated.
Marchant doubles the lead
Colo Colo struck again early in the second half. Marchant received the ball on the right, cut inside into the area and curled a cross-shot beyond the Racing goalkeeper and into the top corner. It was a well-taken strike from the young midfielder, and it gave the home side a comfortable cushion.
Red card changes the game
The match swung further in Colo Colo’s favour when Leonel Pérez was shown his second yellow card and sent off, leaving Racing with ten men for the remainder of the contest.
Just as the win looked comfortable, Racing pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute, when Matías Pérez rose to power home a header. Late on, Javier Méndez was also sent off for Colo Colo, but the hosts held firm to secure the 2-1 victory.
Source: www.latercera.com
