Daquillem secured a 2:0 victory over Astillero in the Round of 16 of the Ecuador Cup on 13 August 2026. The hosts advanced to the next stage with a performance that relied on efficiency rather than dominance. It was a straightforward afternoon for the home supporters.
R. Valarezo opened the scoring at minute 1. By then, the visitors were already on the back foot. It was a quick strike that set the tone for the afternoon. Astillero looked disorganised from the opening whistle.
To be fair, Daquillem had looked solid in their last outing against Emelec. They carried that defensive discipline into this tie. The visitors simply could not break through the lines. It reminded one of those tactical masterclasses seen in old documentaries.
M. Solis doubled the lead at minute 80. And here's the thing, it wasn't a frantic finish. The home side controlled the tempo until the final whistle. Solis found space where the defence had collapsed.
Astillero arrived with mixed results, having drawn with Guayaquil City and beaten 22 de Julio. They failed to replicate that attacking spark today. Daquillem, meanwhile, extended their winning momentum from the April clash with UD Juvenil.
The 2:0 cushion means Astillero must produce a miracle to progress. The visitors leave Quito with their season hanging by a thread. There will be questions about their approach in the second leg.