Club Deportivo O'Higgins: Map

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Club Deportivo O'Higgins, is a Chilean

football club based in the city of Rancagua

. The club was founded April 7, 1955 and plays in the first division of the Chilean football league. Their home games are played at the Estadio El Teniente

stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 14555 seats. The club is named for Bernardo O'Higgins, a hero of Chile's war for independence and the second Supreme Director of Chile.

History

Beginnings

In 1954 the Chilean Second Division had two teams representing the city of Rancagua

, Club América and O'Higgins Braden. Both teams led the championship with Braden winning the tournament and América finishing as runners-up. Both teams won the option to play in First Division in the year 1955 but ANFP decided that both teams should unite to form a new club to represent the city of Rancagua.

In April 7, 1955 the club colours and club president were to be decided. The president, Mr Francisco Rajcevich of O'Higgins Braden was elected by a coin toss, as both America and Braden had the same number of board members and both clubs wanted their candidate. Carlos Dittborn leader of the Central Association decided that the coin was the only way to solve the dilemma.

As for the skyblue uniform, first it had been decided a uniform consisting of a red shirt, blue shorts and white socks, but the association banned the use of colours similar to those of the national football team, so that the leaders were left with the sky blue, since that color was not used by the other participating institutions.

Achievements of the team

Another year to mark the club's history is 1964, when acting in first year Second Division brings to Argentines as the players selected Federico Vairo and Mario Desiderio for many, the best player who has dressed the Celeste in history. O'Higgins won that year with a wide advantage champion of the Second Division.

Then, in 1973, O'Higgins gets its second best year in its history tying in third place with Huachipato left behindUnion Española and Colo Colo. At the end of the 70s came the best of the celestial history: in 1978 liguilla wins and goes to Copa Libertadores and 1979 repeats the title at the liguilla and moves up to the tournament semifinals mainland. In 1984 O'Higgins Cup returns to play a disappointing performance.

Between the First and Second Division

After his last participation in the Copa Libertadores, O'Higgins falls to the year 1985 to Second Division. Faced with the economic crisis and the sports club sought the support of the State mining CODELCO, that while entegaba funds for the club since 1978 did not in the same manner as with the other two clubs tied to the industry copper Cobreloa and Cobresal, in exchange for financial support CODELCO requested that the institution changed its name, Barajas of the Cobresur. However, the fact that the change of name would have meant losing federal rights and therefore fall to Third Division, ruled out the project.

The year 1986 is assembled a staff of "stars" to return to first, but the goal was not met and Celeste for the first time in history should play for 2 consecutive years at Second Division. But in 1987 will reach the liguilla promotion in a harrowing end on Talca

against Lota Schwager with a stadium full of celestial. Atilio Marchionni puts the tie for O'Higgins and First celestial again unfolding one of the most remembered for the celebrations swollen.

At the beginning of the 1990, O'Higgins was constant entertainer of the tournament, reaching the liguilla promotion of the year 1990 and 1991. The year 1990 with 2 goals of Roque Alfaro, one of his classics from half court, the Celeste was classifying the Copa Libertadores, but Universidad Catolica tied the game and Deportes Concepcion finally went to the Cup.

In 1991 O'Higgins played the final of the Catholic University liguilla before, but the "crusaders" left out and won the Copa Libertadores to O'Higgins. The consolation was that after nine years O'Higgins was returning to an international tournament to compete in the newly created Copa Conmebol. In the first round Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata left out the "celestial" of the tournament.

The year 1994 the Celeste arrives at the end of the Copa Chile where fall at Colo-Colo for criminal records. That same year in the National Championship arrives in third place liguilla accessing the Copa Libertadores after 2 draws and a defeat O'Higgins again frustrated his intentions to return to the tournament's most important America

.

The year 1996 O'Higgins drops to second division tournaments disputing the years 1997 and 1998, the latter with a staff trained in house which is achieved with the rise driving Rene Serrano.

In 1999 in the Primera Division after a dismal start O'Higgins becomes the sensation of the tournament, but by goal difference is outside the liguilla for the title. The 2000 and 2001 were years of dismal campaigns thus far declined to call Primera B (ex-Second Division). The 2002 and 2003 will be fought until the final climb and the year 2004 lost any options against Deportes Melipilla, but it would be sweet revenge on 2005 And liguilla promotional amounts to the first division, leaving in the second executioner of the previous year, Deportes Melipilla.

The era of "Sociedad Anonima"

In 2006, O'Higgins was a good campaign, hand in hand with the national coach Jorge Garces, better known as "The Peineta". In the Torneo Apertura of 2006 finished 12th in the regular phase and lost the Repechage with Universidad Catolica. But in the Torneo Clausura of 2006 things would change, as they remain in second place, his best campaign history, after losing in the last date to go to Pre-Libertadores. In addition to direct classified play-offs, reaching the semi-finals, because in the quarter-finals remove Coquimbo Unido after a 0-0 in the first leg 2-1 and a game back. Fall in semifinals with Audax Italiano by 1-4 and 4-2 going back, with a controversial abritaje of Ruben Selman after it canceled two goals to O'Higgins, not a criminal charge and unfairly favor its return to a player.

At the end of 2007, and despite having achieved an acceptable performance in the championships of the year, Garces resignation to the direction of the team, for not being able to take him Copa Libertadores, being replaced by the Argentine Jorge Sampaoli.