LA CISTERNA, Chile (Interstat) — In a tightly contested Chilean Primera División match on Friday, Palestino edged visiting Everton 2-1 in a season-opening clash defined by second-half goals and a flurry of disciplinary actions.

Playing before their home supporters at Estadio Municipal de La Cisterna, Palestino secured the victory with goals from Jason León and Junior Arias in a decisive 11-minute span midway through the second half. The win defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw, though their ELO rating system had given the hosts a 67 percent probability of victory.

The match was a physical affair from the outset, with the first half producing more yellow cards than scoring chances. Everton’s substitute Rodrigo Piñeiro was the first player booked in the 13th minute, setting the tone for a contest that would see eight cautions issued by the final whistle. Palestino’s Joe Abrigo and Bryan Carrasco also saw yellow in the first half, with Carrasco’s card coming in stoppage time.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 61st minute, shifting the momentum firmly in Palestino’s favor. Midfielder Jason León found the back of the net to give the home side a 1-0 lead, sparking the match into life.

The goal seemed to rattle Everton, which saw substitute Diego Oyarzún shown a yellow card just two minutes after falling behind. Palestino capitalized on the momentum swing and doubled its lead in the 72nd minute. Forward Junior Arias delivered the crucial blow, scoring the team’s second goal to establish a commanding 2-0 advantage.

The sequence of events continued to be frenetic, with four more yellow cards distributed in the minutes surrounding the second goal. Everton’s Ian Garguez was booked in the 70th minute, followed by cautions for Palestino’s Julián Alfaro in the 76th minute and Cristian Suarez in the 79th. Everton’s Raimundo Rebolledo received the game’s final yellow card in the 87th minute.

Everton managed to pull a goal back in second-half stoppage time through substitute Sebastián Sosa, but the late strike proved to be only a consolation as Palestino saw out the remaining moments to secure the three points.

The victory was a collective offensive effort for Palestino, with the two goals assisted by a pair of defenders. Bryan Carrasco set up León’s opener, while Ian Garguez provided the helper on Arias’ insurance goal. For Everton, its lone goal from Sosa was facilitated by substitute Raimundo Rebolledo.

The result gives both teams their first official record of the new campaign in Chile’s top flight. Palestino begins its season with a win, while Everton starts with a narrow defeat. Both clubs now have identical 0-0 records across all competitions for the season, with this match marking the official start of their 2025 domestic campaigns.