Everton de Vina vs U. Catolica Match Recap - Oct 19, 2025

Zampedri’s Ruthless Hat Trick Propels U. Católica to Statement Victory, Keeping Title Hopes Burning at Sausalito

With the crisp Pacific air swirling over Estadio Sausalito, Universidad Católica delivered a performance as bracing as the Viña del Mar breeze—decisive, clinical, and utterly transformative for their league ambitions. On an afternoon defined by both ruthless efficiency and indiscipline, it was Fernando Zampedri who seized the moment, notching a hat trick to bury Everton de Viña del Mar 3-0, leaving the home side languishing in mid-table obscurity as Católica’s pursuit of the summit pressed on with forceful intent.

For Everton, a squad accustomed this autumn to disappointment and arrested progress, the opening exchanges offered little comfort. Kenneth Schellotto's men, desperate to arrest a slide that has seen them claim just a solitary win in their last five, began in measured fashion, seeking to break down Católica’s composed defensive lines. And yet, from the whistle, any semblance of parity was fragile—a condition made glaringly obvious as Zampedri found his rhythm.

The Argentine forward’s intent was signaled early. Hovering menacingly between the lines, Zampedri’s movement drew warning glances from Everton’s back four. The first blow came in the 26th minute: a high-tempo exchange down the right liberated Cristian Cuevas, whose low cross split the Everton defense. Zampedri, predator’s instincts at full tilt, darted in front of his marker to flick the ball past goalkeeper Franco Torgnascioli—a finish at once swift and surgical, setting the tone for the afternoon.

The match’s equilibrium tilted further just before halftime, in a moment that would define the contest as much as any goal. In the 37th minute, Ramiro González—already struggling to contain Católica’s attacking tide—lunged into a reckless challenge on Marcelino Núñez. The referee’s card emerged, red and unambiguous, shrinking Everton’s hopes to near vanishing point. Down to ten, they would have little answer to Católica’s relentless pressure.

Within two minutes, the numerical gap on the field translated to the scoreboard. Everton's defense, rattled and stretched, saw Zampedri craftily win a penalty in the box, selling a deft feint that left Julio Barroso trailing. The striker made no mistake from the spot in the 39th minute, calmly sending Torgnascioli the wrong way for his second—his 15th league goal of the campaign, a tally that now ranks among the division’s elite.

The second half offered scant reprieve for the home crowd, who by then had resigned themselves to a grim afternoon. Catolica’s midfield trio, orchestrated by César Pinares, took full control, ensuring the tempo suited Santiago Escobar’s side. The third and final blow arrived in the 54th minute, as Zampedri completed his hat trick with a goal that reflected both his persistence and his class—a perfectly timed run behind the weary Everton defense, followed by an assured right-foot finish into the far corner. The celebrations were those of a squad fully aware of the result’s gravity.

For Everton, the defeat cemented a worrying trend. Five matches have yielded just four points, and the pressure now mounts on a group mired in 12th place with 22 points from 22 matches. The math is growing stark: with only six matches left, relegation worries are not yet existential but the mood is unmistakably tense. Defensive frailty has been their undoing, and the red card to González—his second of the campaign—only magnifies the discipline issues plaguing the Toffees. A single home victory since early August tells a story of faded momentum and missed opportunity.

Contrast this with the surging form of Católica. Buoyed by five straight wins, capped now by consecutive clean sheets, they have reasserted themselves as one of the league’s most balanced and dangerous squads. Sunday’s win, their twelfth in 23 matches, lifts them to 42 points—good for fifth place and, crucially, keeping them within striking distance of both continental qualification and the title chase. With the attack humming and Zampedri in imperial form, Escobar’s men look every bit the side capable of reclaiming their former dominance.

This result also extends Católica’s strong recent record at Sausalito—a venue that, in recent years, has been far kinder to the visitors than the hosts. In their last five head-to-head encounters here, Católica have claimed three victories, leaving Everton’s faithful with few memories to savor and much to ponder as the season tilts towards its decisive phase.

Looking ahead, the stakes for both teams are clear and urgent. For Católica, momentum is now an ally—upcoming fixtures present an opportunity to further close the gap on the teams above, and with Zampedri in this ruthlessly efficient mood, belief is no longer mere hope but a rational expectation. For Everton, these are anxious days. The schedule grows less forgiving, and unless defensive lapses are curbed and points gathered, what began as a season of mid-table comfort could yet descend into something far more fraught.

At Sausalito, as the sun set on a blue-and-gold horizon, only one team departed with their ambitions burning brighter. For Everton, the darkness gathers, but for Católica, the light still beckons—the chase, and the promise, very much alive.