MERIDA, Venezuela (Interstat) — Christian Larotonda scored twice, including an 86th-minute goal, and Caracas rallied past Estudiantes Merida 2-1 at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano de Mérida on Wednesday. Estudiantes Merida had taken the lead through Ronaldo Chacon in the 18th minute, but Caracas answered late to secure the road result.

Larotonda was Caracas’s top star, finishing with two goals over 90 minutes. His 86th-minute strike was the decisive listed goal in a match that saw Caracas overcome an early deficit. Chacon’s 18th-minute goal gave Estudiantes Merida the initial advantage before Caracas turned the game around. Caracas also counted Miguel Vegas, Jesus Yendis and Mauricio Marquez among its key performers, while Estudiantes Merida’s Ronaldo Chacon, S. Ramirez Holguin W. and Darwin Matheus were listed among the match’s key contributors. Larotonda remained the central figure, with his two-goal effort separating the sides after a tense finish.

The result moved Caracas to 2-1 in this competition and 4-1 across all competitions. Estudiantes Merida fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-2-1 overall. Caracas had entered off a win at Rayo Zuliano and a loss at Aragua, while Estudiantes Merida had drawn with Metropolitanos and lost at Monagas in its previous two matches. The loss left the home side without a competition win, while the visitors have won two of three in the competition.

Caracas had also beaten Zamora 4-1 at home and topped Yaracuyanos 1-0 at home earlier in its competition schedule. Its recent road form included the 2-1 win at Rayo Zuliano and the 3-1 loss at Aragua. Estudiantes Merida’s previous competition results included a 2-2 draw with Metropolitanos and a 2-1 loss at Monagas. The contrasting form gave Caracas more momentum, though Estudiantes Merida used the home setting to stay compact early.

Estudiantes Merida’s best spell came after Chacon’s opener, when the home side pressed higher and forced Caracas to defend in numbers. Caracas gradually found more room in the attacking third and leaned on Larotonda’s finishing in the closing stages. Larotonda had recently logged a 33-minute, one-assist outing at Rayo Zuliano and a 35-minute appearance against Zamora before delivering the decisive performance in this match. His two-goal effort was the standout individual line for Caracas. Caracas’s attacking pressure increased as the second half wore on, and Estudiantes Merida’s defensive resistance finally broke in the late stages. The visitors’ ability to convert their best chance proved crucial in a match that remained tight for long stretches.

Estudiantes Merida pressed for a response after falling behind, but Caracas held its shape and closed out the win. The home loss left Estudiantes Merida still searching for its first victory in the competition, while Caracas improved its standing with a second competition win. The result added to a difficult start for Estudiantes Merida, which has yet to win in the competition and has just one draw overall. Caracas, meanwhile, continued a strong run that has produced four wins in five matches across all competitions. Caracas’s late breakthrough changed the match and forced the home side to chase the game in the final minutes. The visitors protected the lead. The final whistle confirmed a valuable road result for Caracas. Caracas is scheduled to host Dep. Tachira in its next competition match. Estudiantes Merida will look to rebound in its next outing after a result that extended its overall winless start to the season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 final. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Estudiantes Merida with a 56 percent probability to win. Estudiantes Merida had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.