LDU Quito 2-0 Emelec
LDU Quito beat Emelec 2-0 at the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado in the Liga Pro regular season, round 26. The home side took control early and never let go, despite losing their opener to a red card before the break. To be fair, the result reflected their dominance in the key moments rather than any dramatic shift in the game.
J. Corozo opened the scoring in the second minute, and L. Segovia doubled the advantage just before the interval. The match turned when Corozo received a red card on the 45th minute plus six, forcing LDU Quito to reshape their approach for the second half. By then, Emelec had already been reduced to a defensive posture.
Emelec brought on L. Fragozo and V. Griffith shortly after the restart, while LDU Quito introduced A. Mina in the 59th minute and Deyverson alongside A. Alvarado in the 69th. The home side also brought on L. Gomez, J. Rodriguez and J. Carabali as the game settled into a controlled rhythm.
LDU Quito held 60 per cent possession and created two big chances, while Emelec managed none. The hosts registered five shots on target against four off target, compared to Emelec's two on target and seven off target. Some of those shots went begging, but the margin told the story clearly enough.
Emelec made more clearances and tackles, suggesting they were under sustained pressure, while LDU Quito completed 428 successful passes to their opponents' 260. The statistics show a team that controlled territory and tempo rather than one that relied on counter-attacks.
LDU Quito moved up to fifth place with 42 points from 28 matches, while Emelec remained in 11th position on 32 points from 27 games. The gap between them narrowed slightly, but not enough to change the hierarchy in this part of the table.