ALGECIRAS, Spain (Interstat) — Algeciras scored twice after halftime and beat Hercules at Estadio Nuevo Mirador on Saturday, using a patient attacking performance to pull away in the second half. The home side broke through in the 50th minute and added insurance in the 84th, while Hercules could not convert its chances and finished without a goal. Algeciras improved to three wins and one loss in the competition, the same record across all competitions. Hercules moved to two wins, one loss and one draw in the competition, also the same mark across all competitions.

Algeciras had won at Rayo Majadahonda and at Torremolinos before a loss at CE Europa in its previous three matches, while Hercules had beaten Sant Andreu and Aguilas FC and drawn with Jaen in its previous three. The home side carried that form into a cautious first half in which neither team created much rhythm. Algeciras had already been shown yellow cards to Coch A. in the 20th minute and Marquez J. in the 38th, while Hercules picked up bookings to Jimenez A. in the 29th and Fidalgo A. in the 34th. The early bookings set a physical tone and limited the space available in midfield. The home side tried to settle through possession, but the early fouls and stoppages kept the match from finding a steady tempo.

The decisive moment came early in the second half. Rubio R. scored in the 50th minute to give Algeciras the lead, rewarding the home side after a first half that featured more bookings than clear scoring chances. The opener changed the match’s shape and forced Hercules to chase the game over the final 40 minutes. Algeciras kept the pressure on and doubled its advantage late. Javier Aviles, who played seven minutes, scored in the 84th minute to make the result secure. Raul Romero was among the home side’s most productive performers with a goal over 90 minutes, while Juanma Garcia played the full match and recorded an assist. Pau Martinez, who played 70 minutes, also provided an assist.

The attacking contributions allowed Algeciras to protect its lead even as the game grew more physical. Hercules made substitutions in the 58th, 66th and 81st minutes, while Algeciras made changes in the 62nd, 70th, 81st and 83rd minutes. The changes helped Algeciras maintain its shape through the closing stages. The substitutions did not change the game’s decisive pattern. The match became increasingly card-heavy after the break. Algeciras’s Carmona F. was booked in the 53rd minute, Hercules’s Narro V. in the 63rd, Algeciras’s Adot Barandiaran P. A. in the 67th, and Algeciras’s Castro O. in the 76th.

Hercules’s Sol F. received yellow cards in the second and fifth minutes of stoppage time, and Escudero A. was booked in the seventh minute of stoppage time. The disciplinary stretch interrupted the flow of the contest but did not alter the outcome. Algeciras’s defense held firm, and Hercules could not find a late response. Hercules pushed numbers forward in the final minutes, but Algeciras kept its defensive shape and limited access to the penalty area. The clean sheet was the home side’s reward for a focused second half. Algeciras also managed the closing minutes without conceding a late chance.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Algeciras 1, Hercules 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Algeciras with a 66.6 percent probability to win. Hercules had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.25. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 2.5.