Macará stun Independiente del Valle 1-0 to put the LigaPro title party on hold

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Macará stun Independiente del Valle 1-0 to put the LigaPro title party on hold

Agustín Campana’s 59th-minute goal in Ambato stopped IDV from clinching the 2026 LigaPro title. Their next chance comes on Friday, October 23 against Universidad Católica.

October 17, 2026

2–3 minutes

Breaking, Schedule

Result. The LigaPro title will have to wait. Macará beat Independiente del Valle 1-0 on Saturday, October 17 at Estadio Bellavista in Ambato, in round 3 of the championship hexagonal. A win would have made IDV champions with seven rounds to spare.

How it happened

IDV had the better of the first half. According to El Comercio, Emerson Pata put the ball in the net in the 27th minute, but VAR ruled it out for offside. In the 40th minute IDV were awarded a penalty, and Macará goalkeeper Rodrigo Rodríguez saved Junior Sornoza’s spot kick.

The only goal came in the 59th minute. Agustín Campana received a pass inside the box and finished with his right foot, according to El Diario and El Comercio. IDV pushed for an equalizer but could not find one.

According to El Diario, the stadium was close to full. Before kickoff, Macará had posted on its official channels that IDV would not do their lap of honor in Ambato.

Packed stands at Estadio Bellavista in Ambato, seen from behind the fence, with fans in yellow — Estadio Bellavista in Ambato, Macará’s home ground, pictured in 2016 with visiting Barcelona SC fans in the stands. Photo: Darb95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and branded by Footy Condor; shared under the same license.

The table

IDV stay top with 77 points. Macará move up to 60 and stay second, a place that comes with a direct spot in the group stage of the 2027 Copa Libertadores, according to El Diario. The rest of round 3 is still to be played: Aucas host Liga de Quito on Saturday, and Barcelona SC host Universidad Católica on Sunday, October 18 at 4:30 PM Ecuador time (5:30 PM ET).

When can IDV clinch?

IDV’s next chance is on Friday, October 23, when they host Universidad Católica at 3:30 PM Ecuador time (4:30 PM ET). According to El Comercio, if IDV win to reach 80 points and Macará fail to win their next game, the gap would be 20 points with only 18 left for Macará to play for, and the title would be settled.

Macará play the next day, Saturday, October 24, at Liga de Quito’s Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado at 4:30 PM Ecuador time (5:30 PM ET). If Macará win in Quito, the title race goes on for at least another week. IDV also still have a game in hand against Barcelona SC from round 1.

Footy Condor fixtures graphic: Friday Oct 23, 4:30 PM ET, Independiente del Valle vs Universidad Catolica in Sangolqui; Saturday Oct 24, 5:30 PM ET, Liga de Quito vs Macara at Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito — Graphic: Footy Condor. Dates and times per Extra and El Comercio.

Sources

El Comercio (Oct 17, 2026): Macará le impide ser campeón a Independiente del Valle, ¿qué le falta?
El Diario (Oct 17, 2026): Aquí no dan la vuelta: Macará venció a Independiente del Valle
Extra (Oct 17, 2026): Macará venció a Independiente del Valle y aplazó su celebración en la LigaPro 2026
Eurosport: Macará – Independiente del Valle, 17/10/2026
El Telégrafo (Oct 14, 2026): Así se jugará la tercera fecha de la LigaPro 2026

Image credits

Fixtures graphic: Footy Condor.
Estadio Bellavista (featured image and photo, 2016): Darb95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped; the featured image adds a Footy Condor headline strip; shared under the same license.