First Division. Simple matter – standard league championship, involving 20 teams. Chile was reducing the league for the next season from 20 to 18 teams, so the last 3 were relegated and only one team was promoted from Second Division. The championship was fairly entertaining, for the teams proved to be quite equal and the battle for both title and survival went on to the end.
O’Higgins finished last with 21 points – obviously, weaker than the rest and an outsider this championship. Down they went.
Deportes Arica – 19th with 27 points and relegated.
San Luis – 18th with 28 points and the third relegated team.
Union San Felipe – 17th with 30 points.
Deportes Concepcion – 16th with 31 points.
Deportes Iquique – 15th with 32 points.
Audax Italiano – 14th with 34 points.
Union La Calera – 13th with 35 points.
Huachipato – 12th with 36 points.
Naval – 11th with 38 points.
Magallanes – 10th with 39 points.
Universidad de Chile – 9th with 39 points.
Rangers – 8th with 40 points.
Palestino – 7th with 40 points. They scored most goals this championship: 66.
Universidad Catolica – 6th with 45 points.
Cobresal – 5th with 46 points.
Union Espanola – 4th with 48 points.
Colo Colo – 3rd with 49 points.
Everton – 2nd with 50 points.
Cobreloa won the championship with 52 points. 21 wins, 10 ties, 7 losses, 65-24 goal-difference. Standing from left: Carlos Rojas, Eduardo Fournier, Eduardo Gomez, Enzo Escobar, Armando Alarcon, Hugo Tabilo. First row: Fidel Davila, Jorge Garcia, Juan Carlos Letelier, Hector Puebla, Juan Covarrubias. The names hardly ring any bells, but Cobreloa already established itself among the top Chilean clubs. This title was not an easy one – 5 other opponents could have win it – but the victory was a sign of maturity precisely for that: pursuit by equally strong teams, Cobreloa still managed to come on top.
Third title for Cobreloa – and all started in 1978!