UNAN Managua secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over H&H Export in the Apertura round 9 clash of the Primera División on Saturday evening. The result moves the visitors into fourth place with 14 points from eight games, while the hosts remain sixth on 11 points after seven matches. We had backed the hosts to win, but this match took a different turn.
The opening goal came at the 14-minute mark, giving the visitors early control of proceedings. H&H Export clawed their way back into the contest before half-time, but UNAN Managua ended a barren spell with a second goal at 53 minutes. The visitors extended their lead at 72 minutes, and by then the complexion of the game had shifted decisively.
Discipline unraveled in the closing stages. H&H Export picked up two bookings in five minutes — well, not bookings, but red cards. The first dismissal came at 79 minutes, followed by a second at 90+1 minutes. The hosts were left flat-footed, and UNAN Managua added a fourth goal at 90+9 minutes to seal the result.
On the statistics, the visitors enjoyed 56 per cent possession and registered 12 shots to the hosts' 12. UNAN Managua kept more accurate with four shots on target from three attempts off target, while H&H Export fired seven wide and five on target. The hosts generated more attacks overall — 90 to 78 — but the red cards meant they worked a short corner less effectively as the game wore on.
The defeat extends a difficult run for H&H Export, who have hit a wall in recent weeks. They drew 1-1 with Walter Ferretti on Wednesday before suffering a 5-0 hammering from Real Esteli and a 6-1 defeat to Managua in August. UNAN Managua, meanwhile, showed resilience after consecutive losses to Matagальпа and their city rivals, ending a barren spell with this performance.