Correa keeps delivering as Colo Colo stretches its lead, but Ortiz won't talk title

Javier Correa was at it again at the Monumental. Two goals, an assist and a level of movement that unraveled Audax Italiano from start to finish. The result was a rout that allowed Colo Colo to keep extending its lead atop the 2026 Liga de Primera. And yet, at the postgame press conference, Fernando Ortiz didn't even want to hear the word "champion."

The Argentine coach, better known in Chile as "Tano," chose instead to highlight something that can easily go unnoticed: the intensity his team kept up even after the game had already been settled. He pointed to one specific moment, around the 79th or 80th minute, with the result well in hand and the opponent thoroughly beaten. That, he said, is where a team's character shows.

It was around the 79th or 80th minute, more or less, and with a positive result already in hand, we kept running. That means we never give up. We're a team that tries to play, that tries to do things the right way. This team is hungry for glory, and the number 9 showed that too, with three goals and always looking for ways to make things happenFernando Ortiz

Yes, three goals, even though Ortiz rounded up in the heat of the moment from the two Correa actually scored on the field. The exact number hardly matters: the point the coach wanted to make is clear, and it has to do with a forward who has become decisive at the most important stretch of the season for Colo Colo.

The other story: Correa's suspension case

Not everything was praise on the field. Correa's name is also in the news for another reason: the forward was summoned before the Disciplinary Tribunal over obscene gestures he made after the win in the derby. Asked about the episode, Ortiz preferred to downplay it and back his player behind closed doors.

I left Javi alone about it. I know the kind of person he is. In that sense, no, I didn't even bring it up, I let him train in peace and I backed him on the field. Everything else isn't something I put much weight on. He's aware, he knows what he did, but I know the kind of person he is, I know the kind of player he is, so he knows what to doFernando Ortiz

With the lead in the standings growing clearer by the week, "Tano's" message hasn't changed: he's calling for caution. He insists nothing has been won yet and that a tough test awaits next Sunday, on a difficult field. The reference is to the worn-out pitch at Ester Roa stadium, a venue that also recently hosted the match between Universidad de Concepcion and Universidad de Chile.

There's also a calendar coincidence that adds some extra flavor to the occasion: this past August 30 marked exactly one year since Ortiz took over as Colo Colo's coach. He arrived amid doubts, with a rocky start marked by poor results, and today he's one step away from winning his first title in charge of the club. Asked about that journey, he answered briefly and without drama.

Honestly, I hadn't thought about it. Gratitude and work. I don't have any other words for itFernando Ortiz

Colo Colo celebrates, Correa keeps finding the back of the net, and Ortiz, true to form, would rather talk about work than about celebrations.