AMBATO (Interstat) — CSyD Macara defeated Ind. del Valle 1-0 on Saturday at Estadio Bellavista de Ambato in Ecuador, getting the only goal from Campana A. I. in the 59th minute and protecting the lead through a disciplined closing stretch. Ind. del Valle could not find an equalizer and finished with no goals. The first half ended without a goal, and the deadlock held until Campana’s strike after the break. Macara improved its season record in this competition to 2 wins and 0 losses, and its record across all competitions also stands at 2 wins and 0 losses. Ind. del Valle’s record in this competition is now 1 win and 1 loss, matching its record across all competitions.

The decisive moment came just before the hour. Campana scored in the 59th minute, with Mateo Viera credited with the assist. Campana logged 90 minutes and produced the goal that separated the teams. Viera played 81 minutes, supplied the assist and later received a yellow card. The goal gave Macara a narrow advantage that held for the remainder of the match. Macara had entered the game after a 1-0 win at U. Catolica in its previous result, while Ind. del Valle had beaten SD Aucas 2-1 in its previous match. The visitors pushed for a response after falling behind, but Macara’s lead remained intact through the final whistle.

The match became increasingly physical after the goal. Perello M. of Ind. del Valle and Posse F. of Macara were booked in the 65th minute. Marrufo J. of Macara received a yellow card in the 70th minute, Viera M. of Macara was booked in the 75th minute and Briones R. of Ind. del Valle was cautioned in the 78th minute. The sequence of cards interrupted the flow and forced both sides to manage the final half-hour with caution. Five yellow cards were issued in all, with three going to Macara and two to Ind. del Valle.

Ind. del Valle made the first substitutions, bringing on Pata E. in the 66th minute and Sornoza J. in the 67th. The visitors later used Gonzalez C. and Quintana H. in the 79th minute and replaced Perello M. in the 82nd minute. Macara responded with changes of its own, substituting Viera M. in the 81st minute, Estacio J. and Tello M. in the 86th minute, and Mohor J. and Campana A. I. in the 90+3rd minute. The late substitutions allowed Macara to run down the clock while preserving its one-goal margin. Ind. del Valle’s final changes did not produce an equalizer, and Macara closed out the result. The substitutions slowed the pace and left little room for a late reply.

Macara’s defensive effort kept Ind. del Valle from scoring despite the visitors having been the pregame favorite. Ind. del Valle had entered with more favorable projections, but Macara made the game’s only goal stand. The home side’s record remained perfect in the competition, while Ind. del Valle settled at one win and one loss in both the competition and across all competitions. The game’s only goal came in the second half, and Macara’s clean sheet made the single score stand. The result gave Macara its second win in as many matches in the competition.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of CSyD Macara 1, Ind. del Valle 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Ind. del Valle with a 61.7 percent probability to win. Ind. del Valle had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.75. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.