ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, Guatemala (Interstat) — Antigua scored twice in the first half and held Malacateco scoreless in a 2-0 home victory in a football match. Agustin Maziero gave Antigua the lead in the second minute, and Francisco Apaolaza added the second goal in the 52nd minute. Malacateco never found an answer and finished with no goals. Antigua’s defense protected the advantage through the second half, and Malacateco could not produce a response. The result moved Antigua to 12 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws in this competition, matching its record across all competitions. Malacateco dropped to 4 wins, 10 losses, and 4 draws in the competition and across all competitions.

Antigua needed little time to go in front. Maziero scored in the 2nd minute, putting the home side ahead before Malacateco had settled into the match. The goal stood as the only scoring of the first half, and Antigua took a 1-0 lead into the break. Maziero’s stat line read one goal in 32 minutes, and he was replaced when Antigua made its first substitution in the 32nd minute. Malacateco made two substitutions in the 55th minute as it sought a way back into the game.

Antigua doubled its lead in the 52nd minute when Apaolaza scored. The goal gave the home side a 2-0 cushion and left Malacateco needing two goals to draw level. Apaolaza finished with one goal in 58 minutes. Antigua made further substitutions in the 69th and 86th minutes, while Malacateco used substitutions in the 55th and 74th minutes. Antigua’s substitutions included Fernandez and Garzaro in the 69th minute and Camargo and Lopez in the 86th. Malacateco’s substitutions included de Leon and Guzman Miron in the 55th and Ochoa and Tellez in the 74th. The visiting side could not find a goal after the changes and remained scoreless.

Yellow cards marked a physical closing stretch. Malacateco’s Ramirez was booked in the 66th minute. Antigua’s Sagastume received a yellow card in the 82nd minute, and Antigua was shown another yellow card in the 83rd minute. The bookings did not alter the scoreline, and Antigua maintained its two-goal advantage through the final whistle.

The victory continued a strong recent run for Antigua, which had won its previous two matches before this game. Antigua had beaten Aurora F.C. 2-0 away and Deportivo San Pedro 1-0 at home in its two prior matches. Malacateco, meanwhile, had lost two straight and remained in a difficult stretch. Malacateco had lost 1-0 at Suchitepequez and 2-0 at home to Aurora F.C. in its previous two matches. Antigua’s most recent head-to-head meeting with Malacateco also ended in a 2-0 Antigua win.

Malacateco had also drawn 2-2 at Deportivo San Pedro and beaten Comunicaciones 1-0 at home earlier in its run. Antigua had also beaten Xelaju 3-0 at home and Coban Imperial 2-1 at home in recent weeks. Antigua’s earlier schedule included a 1-1 draw at Guastatoya, and Malacateco’s earlier results included a 1-2 loss at Xelaju and a 0-2 loss at Coban Imperial.

Antigua’s record in this competition now stands at 12 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws, and its overall record is identical. Malacateco’s competition record is 4 wins, 10 losses, and 4 draws, the same as its all-competitions mark. The home side’s victory kept Malacateco scoreless and extended Antigua’s recent advantage in the series. Antigua is scheduled to play Municipal and Suchitepequez next, while Malacateco is set to face Deportivo Mixco and Marquense. Both teams will return to league play in their next matches.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Antigua 1, Malacateco 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Antigua with a 75 percent probability to win.