Ecuador Primera A Wrap: Catolica and Emelec maintain perfect starts

Universidad Catolica and Emelec continued their perfect starts to the Ecuador Primera A season with wins on Sunday.

Top-of-the-table Universidad Catolica brushed past Manta 3-0 and Emelec were 1-0 winners over Independiente, giving both sides their fourth victories from as many games this season.

Diego Benitez, Pablo Palacios and Federico Laurito found the back of the net for the league leaders at Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa.

Benitez’s powerful 25-yard effort in the 42nd minute put the hosts ahead before Palacios also struck from range in the second half.

Laurito’s close-range effort was far less spectacular but completed a fine team move and sealed the three points on 62 minutes.

Emelec were far less convincing but still claimed three points at home to Independiente.

Marlon de Jesus scored the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time, finishing into the top corner in a one-on-one.

Deportivo Quito slipped five points behind the top two after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to El Nacional.

Ron Campos struck in the 90th minute to secure a point for Macara in a 1-1 draw against LDU Loja.

Deportivo Cuenca scored three times in the space of seven first-half minutes in their 3-0 victory over Deportivo Quevedo.

Andres Rios netted in the 20th minute, Andres Lopez in the 22nd and David Matute in the 26th, leaving Deportivo Quevedo without a point and bottom of the table.