San Antonio and UT Cotopaxi played out a goalless draw in the Promotion Group - 1 of Liga Pro Serie B on Thursday night. The fixture ended 0:0, leaving both sides with a single point each from a contest that refused to break open.
By then you can see the shape of things. San Antonio sit sixth with 31 points from 22 games, while UT Cotopaxi lead the table with 39. The away side needed the points badly, but the hosts were not going to be pushed aside without a fight.
The home side have been drawing their way through the season - ten draws in 22 matches. Their last five outings read 0:0, 1:0, 2:1, 1:0, 0:0. That consistency of not losing is one thing, but not winning is another matter entirely. Things came to a head here when neither could find a way through.
UT Cotopaxi's recent form was mixed, with two draws in their last three before this result. They had won 2:0 and 3:2 in the windows before, but Thursday offered nothing new. The away end never stopped, but the home defence held firm and kept a clean sheet through another stubborn afternoon.
The gap between them remains eight points, though this draw does little for either ambition. San Antonio need the points badly to climb, while UT Cotopaxi have to keep pace with whoever is closing in behind. Football is an uneven game, and sometimes the best result is the one you walk away from without losing anything.