El Nacional fell to a 0-2 defeat against LDU Portovelo in the Relegation Group stage of Liga Pro Serie B on Friday evening. The visitors opened the scoring almost immediately and added a second goal to secure all three points at home soil.
And here's the thing — the opening goal arrived in the first minute, catching El Nacional completely flat-footed. The visitors struck before the home side could settle into any rhythm, leaving their hosts scrambling to find their bearings from the outset.
By then the momentum had shifted decisively, and Portovelo doubled their advantage in the 55th minute. The visitors closed the game out with composure, ensuring El Nacional had nothing to show for their efforts despite maintaining roughly half the possession.
The statistics told a story of dominance without clarity. Portovelo registered 104 attacks compared to 111 from the hosts, yet took 8 shots on target against just 3 for El Nacional. Both sides found the woodwork equally with 3 shots off target each, though the visitors converted their chances with greater efficiency.
The result extends Portovelo's build toward safety while El Nacional's relegation fears deepen. The visitors sit ninth with 27 points after 22 games, while their hosts languish in twelfth place on just 12 points — a gap that now feels unbridgeable in this group stage.