Emelec won the classic 2-0

Denis Stracqualursi

With two goals from debutant Argentine player Denis Stracqualursi, the blue team (Emelec) took the lead of the Ecuadorian soccer tournament, shared with Catholic University, with 15 points each, while Barcelona was on the tenth after being defeated with 3 units and now it virtually has no option of being first and reaching the final for the title they won last year.

Emelec, however, remains above the table and if they reach first in this second stage they will be the 2013 Ecuadorian champion, without fighting the finals, since they earned that right after winning the first stage.

Among the teams that could dispute the crown besides Emelec are, Catholic University, who yesterday lost to Independiente 3-2, thus loosing its perfect streak and also loose its streak of having one all the games they have played. Also Deportivo Quito, who yesterday won 1-0 at Macara and with 13 points and regularity in the tournament, hopes to arrive first and fight the blue team for the title. Below, El Nacional on the fourth position, with 12 points, who won against Quevedo with final score of 2-0 and has shown improvement, although their limited squad could not help them reach the final stages.

In half of the table shows Manta, who yesterday won 1-0 the Liga at White House stadium, with 10 points, Independiente and Cuenca (won 1-0 to Loja), with 9 points, but with clubs that could be a surprise if they maintained regularly to the end. From lower half down, appears Liga de Quito (5) Loja (4), Barcelona and Macara (3) and Quevedo with one point and virtually no option but Liga de Quito and Barcelona do have a fighting team, but have given much space in the first 6 dates.

With regard to classic, which began with a tribute to the late Chucho Benitez, Emelec was superior. It won reportedly for playing better and returning to the court the Argentine-Ecuadorean goalkeeper Javier Klimowicz, sidelined for nearly two years due to injury. In the seventh date, Barcelona would play against Deportivo Queved, while Emelec will receive Macara.

Late in the game, before some 35,000 attendees, the yellow goalkeeper, Maximum Banguera, hit in the face at the blue strike, Pedro Quinonez, who had to receive urgent medical care and spent the night in a nursing home.