MÉRIDA (Interstat) — Angel Jaimes scored in the 88th minute to give Metropolitanos a 2-2 draw against Estudiantes Merida in a match played on Sunday at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano de Mérida. The late goal capped a back-and-forth contest in which Estudiantes Merida had erased an early deficit and moved ahead in the second half only to concede again near the end. Both sides scored twice, and the visitors found the equalizer after the home team had taken control of the second half. Metropolitanos finished the match with a 1-0-1 record in the competition and a 1-0-1 record across all competitions. Estudiantes Merida moved to 0-1-1 in the competition and 0-1-1 overall.

Metropolitanos needed little time to take the lead. Kavier Ortiz scored in the third minute, with Saimon Ramirez credited with the assist. The early goal gave the visitors a platform, but Estudiantes Merida gradually settled into the match and began to create more possession in the attacking half. Metropolitanos held the advantage into halftime, though the match remained tight and physical. Estudiantes Merida pushed more numbers forward after the break and was rewarded with a sustained spell of pressure.

Estudiantes Merida equalized in the 56th minute when Romeesh Ivey scored. The home side continued to press and went ahead in the 67th minute through Jesus Hernandez, who scored before receiving a yellow card in the 68th minute. Darwin Matheus recorded an assist for Estudiantes Merida in the comeback. The goals from Ivey and Hernandez turned the match around and put the home team in position to take all three points. Hernandez was substituted in the 81st minute along with Matheus, while Ivey was replaced in the 87th minute after his goal.

Metropolitanos responded with a late push and found the equalizer through Jaimes in the 88th minute. The goal rescued a point for the visitors after they had led early and then fallen behind. Ortiz had been substituted in the 71st minute after his opening goal. Metropolitanos also made substitutions in the 72nd minute involving M. Diaz and R. Sangiovani. Estudiantes Merida brought on L. Caicedo in the 87th minute as part of its late changes. The visitors kept pressing after the equalizer but could not find a winner in the closing minutes.

The match included five yellow cards. Estudiantes Merida’s C. Rodriguez was booked in the sixth minute, and Metropolitanos’s Y. Caricote was cautioned in the 21st. Hernandez received his yellow card in the 68th minute, Metropolitanos’s R. Acosta was booked in the 73rd, and Metropolitanos’s J. Riasco was cautioned in the 77th. Saimon Ramirez was substituted in the 59th minute after providing the assist on Ortiz’s goal. In the same minute, Estudiantes Merida made a substitution involving C. Rivas, and Metropolitanos made a change involving J. Navarro.

Metropolitanos entered the match after a 4-0 win over Rayo Zuliano. Estudiantes Merida had lost 2-1 at Monagas in its previous outing. Estudiantes Merida is next scheduled to host Caracas in Copa Venezuela on Wednesday. The result left Metropolitanos with one win and one draw in its competition record, while Estudiantes Merida has one loss and one draw. Both teams remain in the early stages of their schedules.

The home side had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Estudiantes Merida 2, Metropolitanos 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Estudiantes Merida with a 73 percent probability to win. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 2.5.