Unión La Calera

Unión La Calera is a Chilean football club based in La Calera and competes the Primera División de Chile.

It was founded as Club de Deportes La Calera on 26 January 1954, after the merger of three teams from the city: ''Condor'', ''Calera Comercio'' and ''Tifón''. The following year, Deportes La Calera joined ''Club de Deportes Melón'' (originated by the merger between Cemento Melón and Minas Navío) to form Unión La Calera.

After spending six seasons in second level, the club obtained its first promotion to Primera División de Chile in 1961, category where they remained until 1974. In 1985, they returned to top-tier, but they were relegated the incoming season. From there, they wandered through second level and third level, until returning to the top category in 2011, and in 2018, after a brief stint in the promotion division ( Primera B). In its palmares, Unión La Calera counts with three second division titles (the 1961 and 1984 Segunda División de Chile titles; and a 2017 Primera B title) and two Tercera División de Chile honors (1990 and 2000).

The color that identifies the club is red (present in their uniform since the formation as Union La Calera) and disputes their home games at the Estadio Municipal Nicolás Chahuán Nazar. Nevertheless, due to its reconstruction, around 2017 and 2018 they moved to Estadio Municipal Lucio Fariña Fernández in neighboring Quillota (which has a capacity for 7703 spectators). Their main local rivals are San Luis de Quillota.

The club is well known for be the team when Sergio Jadue began his sports manager career before coming to power in the ANFP in 2011. He assumed Unión La Calera Corporation's presidency in 2007. In June 2009 he was appointed Club's President of the Board. During his management, Unión La Calera was promoted, after 26 years, to top-tier in 2010. After his departure, the team had a brief success in 2011's first part, reaching the Torneo Apertura's semi-final. In that tournament, highlighted players like Ramón Ignacio Fernández, Braian Rodríguez or Gonzalo Barriga.

History

1954–1970: Beginnings

The club was founded on 15 April 1955. It was following the merger between five local clubs: Tifón, Minas Navío, Cóndor, Cemento Melón and Calera Comercio. Nevertheless, the club's foundation its recorded on 26 January 1954.

2011–2016: Primera División de Chile

The successful 2011 season

=2011 Torneo Apertura

=
Unión La Calera began the 2011 season hiring eight players: Jonathan Domínguez (forward from Unión San Felipe), Rodrigo Flores (goalkeeper from O'Higgins), Ángel Carreño (midfielder from Deportes La Serena), Jorge Ampuero (defender from Unión Española), Ramón Ignacio Fernández (from Argentinian powerhouse Estudiantes de La Plata), Braian Rodríguez (from Peru's top-tier Club Deportivo Universidad de San Martín de Porres), Claudio Muñoz (from Universidad de Concepción) and Luis Jiménez Barrera (from Deportes Melipilla).

Regular Phase

They debuted in the 2011 Torneo Apertura on 30 January with a 1–1 draw with Santiago Morning. In this match the scores were from Paraguayan striker Ever Cantero for Santiago Morning and an own-goal from Edgardo Abdala. The next week on 6 February, the Uruguayan Braian Rodríguez (the striker from San Martín de Porres) scored Calera's first goal in top-tier in a 1–0 home win over Unión San Felipe. Besides, it was the club's first goal scored by a team's player after its 24 year-absence in Primera from 1987 season (considering Abdala's own goal). On 12 February, for the third week, they surprised everyone after beating 2–1 to Universidad Católica as local in Estadio Municipal Nicolás Chahuán Nazar. The goals for Calera were scored by the defender Claudio Muñoz in the 39th minute (who precisely played in Universidad Católica between 2004 and 2007, prior to play in Universidad de Concepción) and Diego Cuéllar in the 75th minute, who netted the tie-breaker goal after Hans Martínez's equalizing goal in 66th minute. Thereby, Unión La Calera broke the small unbeaten Universidad Católica had in the first two games (a 0–2 away win over Deportes Iquique and a 3–1 victory against Audax Italiano). Nevertheless, on 19 February, now Calera's short unbeaten was broken by Cobresal which defeat 3–1 the team in El Salvador with a hat-trick of Joel Soto.RSSSF Chile 2011
— Apertura Round 4; 19 February The goal for Calera was of Alejandro Risso. The following week the team was recovered from the 3–1 defeat with Cobresal, beating 2–0 to Deportes La Serena at Nicolás Chahuán Nazar, but after this victory, an important triumph was against Cobreloa in Calama with a goal of Ramón Fernández in the 17th minute. This victory meant the team's climb to the league table's first place, being there with thirteen points next to Universidad Católica. The next matchday, Católica and Calera remained as table's leaders after both teams won to Universidad de Concepción (Calera; 2–0) and Palestino (Católica; 1–2).

On 11 March, Unión La Calera had to play with giants Colo-Colo at Estadio Monumental in the capital city Santiago. However, the team was defeated in a 2–0 loss with goals of the Argentinian Lucas Wilchez and Chilean international José Pedro Fuenzalida. The next matchday, on 20 March, Unión La Calera defeated 3–1 as local to Audax Italiano, thereby confirming its second place behind Universidad Católica. The team began losing with a goal of Bryan Carrasco in the 20th minute, but the score of Braian Rodríguez through a penalty, gave encouragement so that later Octavio Pozo

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