RIOBAMBA, Ecuador (Interstat) — Jackson Gonzalez scored in the 88th minute and Mushuc Runa held off visiting Delfin 2-1 in a competition match Monday at Estadio Olímpico de Riobamba. The late goal finished a tense contest that included two red cards and gave the home side its first win in the competition this season. Gonzalez was booked in the same minute as his goal, but the strike stood as the difference after Delfin had fought back to level. Mushuc Runa improved to 1-3-1 in the competition and 1-3-1 overall, while Delfin fell to 3-2 in the competition and 3-3 overall.

Tomson Minda put Mushuc Runa ahead in the 56th minute. Arnaldo Zambrano was credited with an assist in the match, helping the home side generate chances in a first half that had already grown chippy. Mushuc Runa’s Biojo R. was booked in the third minute, Delfin’s Morocho J. followed in the 14th, and the cards continued to mount when Cusme J. and Delfin’s Pena B. were booked in the 32nd before Luna D. added another Delfin yellow in the 33rd. Delfin’s Hernandez B. was booked in the 48th. The early caution count reflected the match’s physical tone, with Delfin collecting four first-half bookings and Mushuc Runa two.

Everything changed in the 61st minute when Delfin’s Leon J. was sent off, leaving the visitors a man down. Delfin still found an equalizer in the 77th through Thiago Ozaeta, who scored and was booked in the same minute. The advantage swung back toward Delfin in the 78th when Mushuc Runa’s Corozo B. was sent off, leveling the sides at 10 players each. Minda was booked in the 69th, and Delfin’s Bedoya A. was booked in the 83rd before Gonzalez delivered the decisive moment in the 88th. Gonzalez, who was on the field for the full 90 minutes, scored the winner for Mushuc Runa.

After Ozaeta’s goal, Delfin made further changes, with Hernandez B. replaced in the 79th and Ozaeta withdrawn in the 85th. Mushuc Runa’s Caicedo E. entered in the 76th, and Perea M. came on in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Mushuc Runa also made a halftime change involving Corozo B. and Bazan N., while Delfin changed Luna D., Pena B. and Heredia G. in the 69th. The substitutions did little to settle the match, as both teams continued to push in the closing stages. The late flurry kept both benches active until the final whistle. Delfin pressed for a second equalizer after Gonzalez’s goal, but Mushuc Runa cleared several late deliveries and held on through added time.

Delfin entered the match after a 2-0 loss at Ind. del Valle, while Mushuc Runa had dropped a 3-2 home decision to Manta in its previous outing. Delfin had also beaten Mushuc Runa 3-2 in the earlier head-to-head meeting this season. Delfin’s recent run included wins over Dep. Cuenca and Manta, while Mushuc Runa had drawn with Orense and lost to Tecnico U. in addition to its defeat against Delfin. Gonzalez finished with a goal and a yellow card, Ozaeta scored and was booked before his substitution, Minda scored and was booked, and Zambrano recorded an assist. The result left Mushuc Runa with its first competition victory of the campaign and Delfin still searching for consistency after an uneven start.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Mushuc Runa 2, Delfin 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Mushuc Runa with a 60.6 percent probability to win. Mushuc Runa had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.75, and the total of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.