GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (Interstat) — A pivotal Liga Pro matchup on Sunday sees Macará host El Nacional in a clash of Ecuadorian clubs heading in opposite directions.

Macará (8-7-5) enters the contest at the Estadio Bellavista in Ambato with momentum, coming off a decisive 3-0 victory over Delfin. The home side has been strong defensively, posting clean sheets in three of its last five matches, including a 2-0 win over CD Cuenca earlier this month.

El Nacional (6-5-8), meanwhile, is reeling from a stunning 5-0 road loss to CD Cuenca last Friday. The result highlighted a season of wild inconsistency for the visitors, who have shown the ability to secure impressive wins, like a 2-1 victory over Emelec, but also suffer heavy defeats.

The head-to-head series this season has been defined by the home team’s dominance. El Nacional won the most recent encounter 2-0 on Oct. 26, while Macará secured an identical 2-0 victory when it was the host on Sept. 14. Their May meeting ended in a 1-1 draw.

According to the Interstat game simulator, another stalemate is the most likely outcome, projecting a 1-1 final score. The result could be crucial for both clubs as they jockey for position in the league table. Kickoff is set for Sunday, Nov. 30.