Kunisuru took a 2-0 victory away to Deportivo Cuenca Juniors in the Promotion Group stage of Liga Pro Serie B on Thursday evening. Two first-half strikes in quick succession put the visitors in control and moved them closer to the top of the table.
The opening goal came in the seventh minute, a sharp finish that caught the home side off guard. Kunisuru had been patient in the opening exchanges, keeping possession and waiting for the right moment. And here's the thing, the goal was the reward for that approach — one moment of quality after sustained pressure.
The second came thirteen minutes later. Deportivo Cuenca Juniors had tried to respond after the opening goal but could not find a way through. Kunisuru's counter-attack was clinical, and by then the match was effectively decided. The away side had opened talks for a comfortable position in the promotion race.
The result leaves Kunisuru on 31 points in fifth place, just three behind fourth-placed Deportivo Cuenca Juniors on 34. The gap between them is closing, and the pressure is shifting onto the home side to stop the slide.
Kunisuru's form has been impressive of late. They had won their previous five outings, including a 2-0 victory over Deportivo Cuenca Juniors on August 8th. The relationship has soured between the two, and Kunisuru have now won both meetings this season.
Deportivo Cuenca Juniors' recent record tells a different story. Three losses in their last five league games, including this one, have cost them ground. They had kept three clean sheets on the spin before this run, but the clean-sheet run came to an end against a side that knew exactly what they were doing.