JUTIAPA, Guatemala (Interstat) — In a thrilling opening match of the Liga Nacional Clausura season, Deportivo Achuapa edged CSD Mixco 3-2 on Sunday at Estadio Winston Pineda, defying pregame projections with a flurry of first-half goals.

The contest, which featured five goals in a dizzying 51-minute span, provided an immediate statement for the home side and a setback for the visitors in Guatemala’s top-flight football competition.

Achuapa seized the initiative early, with forward Yonatan Pozuelos opening the scoring in the eighth minute. Mixco, however, responded with composure. Argentine midfielder Agustín Maziero leveled the match in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to knot the score at 1-1.

The game tilted back in Achuapa’s favor just before halftime. Erick Sánchez restored the home team’s lead in the 41st minute, finishing a swift counterattack. The momentum fully swung in stoppage time of the first half when Nicolas Martinez found the net in the 48th minute, sending Achuapa into the break with a commanding 3-1 advantage.

Mixco emerged from halftime determined to mount a comeback. Their efforts were rewarded in the 59th minute when Carlos Castrillo scored, cutting the deficit to a single goal and setting up a tense final half-hour. Despite sustained pressure from the visitors in search of an equalizer, Achuapa’s defense held firm to secure the three points.

The result marked a successful start to the 2025 Clausura campaign for Achuapa, while Mixco begins its season with a defeat. The match outpaced the statistical expectations set before kickoff. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a conservative 1-1 draw, while its ELO rating system gave Achuapa only a slight 51.40 percent probability of victory.

The victory at their home ground in Jutiapa gives Achuapa immediate positive momentum as they look to improve upon their standing from the previous Apertura season. For Mixco, the narrow loss on the road presents early challenges, though the team’s persistent fight after falling behind by two goals will provide some positives to build upon.

The Liga Nacional season continues next week with a full slate of matches.