TEAM NEWS
O’Higgins boss Cristian Aran is set to keep the same side that swept aside Huachipato last time out. The players waiting in the wings have done themselves no favour recently, going down 6-1 on aggregate to Union Espanola in the Copa Chile. Pablo Calandria is still sidelined with a fractured leg.
New Audax Italiano manager Hugo Vilches will surely stick with the same side that comfortably beat Union Espanola two weeks ago in his first league match in the hotseat, although defender Carlos Labrin may come back into the side in defence after serving his suspension. Marcos Riquleme is still out with a groin injury.
O’Higgins
Suspended: None
Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Pablo Calandria (fractured leg)
Audax Italiano
Suspended: None
Doubtful: None
Injured/unavailable: Marcos Riquelme (groin)
MATCH PREVIEW
Six games in and O’Higgins are now the only unbeaten side in the Apertura. A comfortable 2-0 win over Huachipato in the league last time out leaves them just one point behind leaders Iquique. There is still more than half the season to go, but O’Higgins look well placed to improve on their third place finish in the 2016 Clausura. Their points have mostly come thanks to a very mean defence that has only let in three goals in six matches. Only seven goals scored is actually below average for the division, but they have suffered from absences up top.
A change of manager seemed to work perfectly for Audax Italiano as they cruised to a 3-1 victory over high-flying Union Espanola in week six, before beating Deportes Copiapo by the same scoreline in the cup last weekend. Hugo Vilches was only appointed three days before taking charge of his first match, but he had an instant impact. The league win lifted Audax off the bottom of the table and they now have six points from six matches. Only the bottom two have conceded more goals than Los Tanos while they have lost all three matches on the road to date.
A rejuvenated Audax Italiano won’t make this easy for O’Higgins, but I still expect the home side to edge it.
HEAD TO HEAD
Audax have won almost half of the last 31 meetings between these two sides, but O’Higgins have avoided defeat the last two times these sides have met. O’Higgins have won ten of the last 31 clashes and are unbeaten in their last three home games.
