Ecuador Primera A Wrap: Emelec stay clear

Emelec have triumphed 1-0 away to Deportivo Cuenca to stay top of Ecuador’s Primera A despite ongoing pressure from LDU Quito.

An impressive bicycle kick from Cristian Nasuti gave Emelec victory in Cuenca, maintaining the league leaders’ three-point margin over LDU, who defeated El Nacional 1-0 thanks to Edison Mendez’s thunderous strike.

With just two rounds to go, Emelec have 41 points at the top of the Primera A standings but LDU (38 points) and Independiente (36) remain in contention.

In Cuenca, the ninth-placed hosts made Emelec work on Sunday but the table-toppers eventually claimed all three points in the 74th minute.

After Cuenca’s goalkeeper failed to properly deal with a free-kick curled towards his goal and simply punched the ball into a melee of players, Emelec’s Marcos Mondaini headed the ball to Nasuti, who flipped acrobatically to strike the ball into the net.

In Quito on Saturday, LDU temporarily moved level with Emelec on points with Mendez ensuring victory over El Nacional with a 35-yard thunderbolt in the 24th minute.

Independiente also won over the weekend to keep their slim title hopes alive, overcoming fourth-placed Deportivo Quito 2-0.

In other Primera A results, Macara defeated Manta 1-0, reigning champions Barcelona won 3-1 over LDU Loja and Universidad Catolica were 2-0 winners at home to Deportivo Quevedo.