CSD Antofagasta produced a dominant second-half display to defeat Deportes Temuco 3-1 in Chile's Liga de Ascenso, extending their strong run at home and moving up the table with a convincing victory. The match, played on Sunday at Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascuñán, saw the hosts recover from an early setback to turn the game around in front of their supporters.

Deportes Temuco stunned the home crowd inside the opening ten minutes when forward Matías Sepúlveda latched onto a through ball and finished coolly past the Antofagasta goalkeeper. The early goal gave the visitors confidence, and they controlled possession for much of the opening half-hour without creating further clear chances.

Antofagasta fight back after the break

Whatever head coach Juan José Ribera said at halftime worked immediately. Antofagasta came out with renewed energy and urgency, leveling the score in the 52nd minute through a well-worked team move finished by striker Ignacio Herrera. From that moment, the momentum shifted completely. The home side pinned Temuco back in their own half, and their pressure told again in the 67th minute when midfielder Cristian Cuevas fired home from the edge of the area to make it 2-1.

Temuco struggled to respond and were reduced to long balls forward, but Antofagasta sealed the win in the 81st minute with a clinical counter-attack. Winger Matías Galdames raced onto a perfect pass and slid the ball under the advancing keeper to complete the scoring and put the game beyond doubt.

Key moments

• 10' – Sepúlveda gives Temuco an early lead with a cool finish
• 52' – Herrera equalizes with a close-range strike
• 67' – Cuevas scores from outside the box to put Antofagasta ahead
• 81' – Galdames seals the match on the break

Standings boost for Antofagasta

The victory pushes Antofagasta into a strong position in the Liga de Ascenso standings, keeping them in the hunt for a promotion playoff spot. Their ability to turn a deficit into a comfortable win could prove vital in the final stretch of the season. Deportes Temuco, meanwhile, will be left to rue a promising start that unraveled after halftime, and they will need to shore things up defensively on the road to avoid slipping further down the table.

For the home fans, performances like this underline the club's ambitions this season, and the team will now look to carry this momentum into their next fixture. With a healthy goal difference now in their favor, Antofagasta appear to be hitting form at exactly the right time.