Ecuador Primera A Wrap: LDU close as Emelec stumble

The top two Ecuador Primera A clubs, Emelec and Deportivo Quito, both lost on the weekend, opening the door for LDU Quito in the title race.

Emelec still hold top spot by three points from the two Quito clubs, but fell to a 2-1 loss to the in-form El Nacional on Saturday.

They still have two games in hand on the two sides below them, and Emelec were let off the hook by Deportivo earlier in the round as they slumped to a 1-0 loss to Barcelona on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, LDU Quito cruised to a 3-1 home win over Deportivo Quevedo to move level with their city rivals on 32 points.

Universiadad Catolica were held to a 2-2 stalemate by strugglers LDU Loja.

On Saturday, Independiente went fourth on 29 points with a resounding 5-1 win on the road at bottom club Macara. Junior Sornoza scored four goals for the winners.

Finally, an Eduardo Echeverria brace guided Manta to a 2-0 win away at Deportivo Cuenca, ending a two-match winning streak for the hosts.

In terms of the title race, Emelec’s hosting of LDU Quito in mid-June could prove crucial to both sides’ hopes of lifting the silverware this campaign.