CARACAS, Venezuela (Interstat) — Sebastián Castillo scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to lift Dep La Guaita to a 2-1 victory over Monagas on Friday night in a Primera División match at Estadio Olímpico.

The match, which kicked off the Venezuelan top-flight season, was decided in the second minute of added time when Castillo found the net to break a deadlock and deliver the home side a win that defied a resilient effort from the visitors.

The game’s opening goal came from an unlikely source. In the 39th minute, Dep La Guaita substitute Cristian Ramírez, who had just entered the fray, put the home side ahead. The assist came from fellow substitute Carlos Lujano, whose entry into the match provided an immediate spark for the hosts.

Monagas, however, refused to capitulate and found an equalizer early in the second half. In the 55th minute, forward Yackson Rivas leveled the score for the visitors, finishing off a play set up by Luis Angel Peña. The goal shifted the momentum and set the stage for a tense and physical final half-hour.

The contest appeared destined to end in a draw, mirroring the 1-1 projection from Interstat’s game simulator. That outcome would have been a minor upset in itself, as the same analytics service had given Dep La Guaita a 71.30 percent probability of winning based on its ELO rating system.

Castillo ensured the pre-match projections of a home victory ultimately proved correct. The Dep La Guaita forward pounced in the 92nd minute, scoring the decisive goal to send the home supporters into a frenzy. The play was orchestrated by another impactful substitute, Yulwuis Pérez, who recorded the assist on the game-winning play.

The match was a chippy affair from the start, reflected in a flurry of yellow cards. The first half alone produced four cautions, with Monagas’ José Meza and Rommell Ibarra booked in quick succession in the 28th and 31st minutes, respectively. Dep La Guaita’s Carlos Lujano was shown a yellow in the 47th minute, just after his assist, and Monagas’ Luis Angel Peña was booked in the 53rd minute.

The physical play continued after halftime. Dep La Guaita’s Fernando Basante was cautioned in the 75th minute, followed by a yellow card for Monagas’ Carlos Rivero in the 79th. The final booking of the match went to Dep La Guaita’s Yulwuis Pérez in the fifth minute of stoppage time, moments after his assist secured the victory.

The result gives Dep La Guaita a perfect start to the Primera División season, moving their record to one win and zero losses. Across all competitions, the club also stands at one win and zero losses. For Monagas, the loss marks a disappointing beginning to their league campaign, leaving them with a record of zero wins and one loss in the Primera División and an identical zero wins and one loss record across all competitions.

The game was ultimately defined by the impact of the substitutes. Dep La Guaita’s bench provided a goal from Ramírez, an assist from Lujano, and the critical game-winning assist from Pérez, a contribution that proved the difference in a hard-fought contest. While Monagas showed fight to equalize, they were unable to contain Dep La Guaita’s late surge, culminating in Castillo’s match-winning heroics.