Audax Italiano clinched a berth in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana on Monday with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ñublense in Primera Liga action. The win, secured by an early goal from Eduardo Vargas just 52 seconds into the match, came despite playing a man down for over 20 minutes following a red card . The result guarantees audax Italiano at least fifth place in the league standings and impacts the playoff hopes of colo Colo.
Audax Italiano secured a spot in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ñublense on Monday, December 1, 2025, in a Primera Liga match.
Eduardo Vargas scored the decisive goal just 52 seconds into the contest, and Audax then held on for over 20 minutes playing a man down to claim the crucial three points.
The game-winning play began with Michaell Vadulli winning possession in the opponent’s half, quickly passing to Luis Riveros, who found space to deliver a pinpoint cross for Vargas to finish.
Audax Italiano controlled the tempo for much of the match, despite being reduced to ten men after a 75th-minute red card to Martín Jiménez. Ñublense, already out of contention for postseason play, struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.
The victory lifts Audax Italiano to fifth place in the league standings with 49 points, officially guaranteeing their participation in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana. This result also complicates the playoff picture for Colo Colo, who now need a win against Audax Italiano and a Cobresal loss to Ñublense to have a chance at qualifying for the same tournament.
Ñublense, meanwhile, extended their winless streak to nine consecutive matches (eight losses and one draw) and remain in tenth place with 30 points.
El gol de Edu Vargas que le dio el triunfo a Audax sobre Ñublense
🔥⚽🇮🇹 ¡EN MENOS DE UN MINUTO!
Con un gol de camarín, Eduardo Vargas anotó la apertura de la cuenta para Audax Italiano, en este #MatchdayLunes ante Ñublense.
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