Two goals from forward Carlos Garcés allowed Delfin to turn the score around and defeat Independiente del Valle 2-1 in a thrilling match played at Jocay Stadium in Manta. A goal for each team reflected a duel of great intensity until the end.

In this mirror match, matchday 12, the team from Manta scored 6 out of 6 points against Sangolqui's team, whom they had already defeated away last week with a score of 0-1.

In the 7th minute, Billy Arce, the visiting forward, threatened Pedro Ortiz's goal, who punched the ball away to prevent a goal. But in the 15th minute, a pass from Hamilton Piedra was received correctly by midfielder Efrén Mera, who passed the ball to Arce. The Independiente attacker evaded the defense of Roberto Luzarraga to score the first goal of the match.

In Delfin, mistakes in the midfield were constant. The closest chance for the Cetaceans came from Uruguayan player Luis Arismendi in the 27th minute with a shot that troubled Piedra.

Immediately after, Delfin went in search of the equalizer. In the 28th minute, a corner kick missed by Luzarraga and Arismendi couldn't finish the play at the far post.

Check the Ecuadorian Football Championship standings.

In the second half, Delfin's coach Fabián Bustos made a change that proved effective for his team. Francisco Mera replaced the erratic Álex Bolaños. And it was 'Cachorro' who moved through the right side in the 49th minute to send a low cross. Garcés anticipated the defender marking him, poked the ball, and scored the equalizing goal.

Prior to that action, Independiente missed an unbeatable chance to score when Marcos Cangá lifted a cross that reached Arce, who was alone in front of the goal and almost on the goal line, but sent the ball over the crossbar.

In the 56th minute, Independiente del Valle defender Cristian Pellerano committed a foul in the penalty area against Pedro Perlaza and referee José Luis Espinel awarded a penalty kick. Garcés took the shot, but Piedra saved it.

But Garcés had his personal revenge against Piedra in the 89th minute. Once again, his partner in the first goal, Mera, moved through the center and passed him the ball. Garcés went past Argentinian defender Hernán Schunke and when the Independiente goalkeeper came out to close the space, Garcés lifted the ball over him to score the second goal and give his team their fourth consecutive victory in the Championship.

With this winning streak under the command of Fabián Bustos, the Cetacean team has climbed from the bottom to the middle of the table, in sixth place, with the same 19 points that Emelec has, and is only 1 point away from reaching Independiente (4th place) and 3 points away from Universidad Católica (3rd place).

Delfin - 2

Ortiz; Perlaza, Canga, Luzarraga, Nazareno; Bolanos (Mera, 46m), Pinatares, Chicaiza, Arismendi (Patta, 77m); Ona (Romero, 69m), Garcés.

Coach: Fabián Bustos.

Independiente - 1

Piedra; Segovia, Schunke, Canga, Ayala (Rivera, 79m); Pellerano, León, Mera, Méndez (Franco, 62m); Arce, Barreiro (Mejía, 74m).

Coach: Gabriel Schurrer.

Referee: José Espinel. Yellow cards for Piñatares (38m), Luzarraga (41m), Chicaiza (61m), Garcés (90m) from Delfin; Arce (34m), Barreiro (35m), Pellerano (56m), and Rivera (90m) from Independiente del Valle.

Incidents: Match of the twelfth matchday played yesterday at Jocay Stadium in Manta with nearly 3,000 spectators.

3-1

Manabitas won

By that scoreline, Delfin defeated Emelec at Jocay Stadium on matchday ten. In the next matchday, the twelfth, the Cetaceans will return the visit when they go to Capwell Stadium.