Deportivo Cuenca and Musuk Runa played out a goalless draw in the Liga Pro on Friday evening. The match finished 0:0 at the Alejandro Serrano Aguero stadium, a result that keeps both sides within touching distance of each other in the table. To be fair, neither side really threatened to win after the first half.
The game changed shape at the interval when M. Klimowicz received a red card on 45+3 minutes. Deportivo Cuenca had to play the final 44 minutes with ten men, and here's the thing — they did not travel to make up the numbers. Musuk Runa pushed forward after the break, but the hosts kept their heads.
By then, the visitors had already seen things tighten up. J. Hernandez and C. Arboleda had both picked up yellow cards before the break, and Musuk Runa's attacking intent became more cautious. They did not travel to make up the numbers either, but they had the extra man and the ball more often.
Musuk Runa held 56 per cent possession and threw 431 passes at Deportivo Cuenca's 342. They registered seven shots off target and only one on target, while the hosts managed two shots on target from four attempts. Big chances created were zero for both sides, so the result reflects the reality of a game where chances went begging.
Deportivo Cuenca sit 11th with 35 points from 28 games, four behind Musuk Runa in ninth. The hosts had lost three in a row before beating Emelec 2:1 on 28 July, while Musuk Runa's last outing was a 0:0 draw with Barcelona. This result ends a run of mixed form for both sides, and the ground out the win for Deportivo Cuenca feels like enough.