GUADALUPE, Mexico (Interstat) — Atlante delivered a commanding road performance, routing Mineros de Zacatecas 4-1 on Saturday in a Liga de Expansión MX match at Estadio Carlos Vega Villalba.

The visitors’ attack was fueled by their substitutes, with three second-half players finding the net to break open a game that was tighter than the final score indicated. The result defied pregame projections, which had heavily favored the home side.

Atlante set the tone early, opening the scoring in the 20th minute through midfielder José Ávila. The momentum firmly swung in the visitors’ favor just before halftime with a quick, decisive burst of goals.

Substitute Maximiliano García leveled the match for Mineros de Zacatecas in the 36th minute, briefly energizing the home crowd. However, Atlante responded with two goals in the final minutes of the half to reclaim control.

Luis Calzadilla, another substitute, put Atlante back in front in the 41st minute. Then, in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, fellow substitute Samuel González extended the lead, sending the visiting team into the break with a 3-1 advantage.

The second half saw Atlante manage the game effectively and put the result beyond doubt in the 79th minute. Rubén Coubert, the third substitute to score for the visitors, netted the final goal to seal the 4-1 victory.

The match grew increasingly physical as it progressed, with four yellow cards issued in the second half. Brandón Espinosa of Mineros de Zacatecas was booked in the 51st minute, followed by Atlante’s Oscar Mazatán in the 71st and José Muñoz in the 73rd. Sergio De los Ríos of Atlante received a yellow card in the 89th minute.

The lopsided score was a surprise based on statistical models. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, and its ELO rating system had given Mineros de Zacatecas a 50.40 percent probability of winning the contest on their home field.

With the victory, Atlante begins its Liga de Expansión MX campaign with a win. Both teams now hold a record of 0-0 in the competition, as the season is in its early stages. Their records across all competitions also stand at 0-0.