Chile II Division

Chile. The First Division was going to be reduced to 16 teams and the Second Division enlarged to 28 teams in the next year, so 3 teams were relegated from the top league, none relegated from Second Division and one team promoted from it to the upper level. The championship was divided into two stages – at first Second Division was split into 2 zones – Norte and Sur, 12 teams each. The top 4 from Zona Norte and the top 2 from Zona Sur moved to the final round-robin stage, the winner of which was promoted.

Zona Norte, apparently considered the stronger group.

Union La Calera – last with 13 points. Standing from left: Chahuán, Ortega, Irrázaval, Miranda, Fernández,Giadallach. Front: Vásquez, Muñoz, Lasnivat, Leiva,Rojas.

Soinca Bata – 11th with 13 points, Deportes Ovalle – 10th with 15 points, Deportes La Serena – 9th with 16 points, Quintero Unido – 8th with 18 points,

Deportes Antofagasta – 7th with 23 points,

Santiago Wanderers – 6th with 24 points,

Regional Atacama – 5th with 28 points. Unlucky, for they lost a chance to run for promotion on worse goal-difference.

Coquimbo Unido – 4th with 28, Deportes Arica – 3rd with 28, Cobreandino – 2nd with 31 points, and O’Higgins – 1st with 31 points qualified to the final stage.

Zona Sur.

Nublense – last with 16 points, Deportes Puerto Montt – 11th with 17,

Provincial Osorno – 10th with 18 points,

Union Santa Cruz – 9th with 18, Iberia Biobio – 8th with 19, Deportes Linares – 7th with 19,

Deportes Laja – 6th with 22 points. Standing from left: Ricardo Zepeda, Miguel Gutiérrez, Oscar Núñez, Iván Peña, Misael Toledo, Miguel Frías. First row: Daniel Paz, Jaime Ramírez, Rubens Nicola, Richard Zambrano, Héctor Pineda.

Deportes Temuco – 5th with 24 points.

Deportes Valdivia – 4th with 24 points. This may be or not a photo from the season.

Curico Unido – 3rd with 27 points,

Malleco Unido – 2nd with 29 points and Lota Schwager – 1st with 32 points.

The final tournament: every team played twice against the rest and after 10 rounds, the final standing was:

Malleco Unido – 6th with 5 points.

Deportes Arica – 5th with 9 points.

Cobreandino – 4th with 10 points,

O’Higgins – 3rd with 11 points,

Coquimbo Unido – 2nd with 11 points, and

Lota Schwager – 1st with 14 points. Really strong at the final stage: 5 wins, 4 ties, only one lost match, 14-11 goal-difference. Not great scorers for sure – Cobreandino scored 24 at this stage – but solid and determined. Rightfully going up.