QUITO, Ecuador (Interstat) — A crucial Liga Pro matchup with playoff implications will see El Nacional host Aucas on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa.

The derby arrives with the two Quito-based clubs on divergent recent trajectories. Aucas, the visiting side, enters in strong form, unbeaten in its last five league matches. Its most recent result was a 2-1 home victory over CD Cuenca on Nov. 30. That followed a commanding 8-0 thrashing of Delfin and a 2-0 away win at Emelec. Aucas’s attack has been potent, averaging over three goals per game during this stretch.

El Nacional, meanwhile, seeks to rebound from consecutive heavy defeats. The military side fell 2-0 at Macara on Nov. 30, preceded by a 5-0 loss at CD Cuenca on Nov. 21. Its form has been inconsistent, mixing impressive results like a 2-1 win over Emelec with concerning defensive lapses.

Recent head-to-head history firmly favors Aucas. In the last three meetings, Aucas is unbeaten, securing 1-0 victories in both the July and March fixtures earlier this year. Their most recent encounter, however, was a dramatic 3-3 draw at Aucas’s stadium on Nov. 1, suggesting El Nacional can find offensive success against its rival.

The statistical projection service Interstat forecasts a tight, low-scoring affair, simulating a 1-1 draw as the most likely outcome. This aligns with the tense nature of recent clashes, where narrow margins have decided results.

For Aucas, a win is essential to solidify its position in the upper tier of the table and maintain momentum. For El Nacional, the match represents a critical opportunity to halt its slide, rediscover its defensive stability, and leverage home-pitch advantage to finally break its winless streak against its local foe. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. local time (2000 GMT).