Liga Pro: Aucas joins Independiente del Valle in securing championship playoff place

Aucas secured its place in Ecuador’s Liga Pro championship hexagonal with a 1-0 victory over Libertad, joining league leader Independiente del Valle among the first two qualifiers.

Éderson Quiñónez scored the goal that sent Aucas through. The club has 47 points with nine still available from the final three rounds, giving it a 10-point cushion over seventh place and making it impossible for Aucas to fall outside the top six.

Independiente del Valle had already qualified and leads the tournament with 68 points, 21 ahead of Aucas. The club from Sangolquí will carry its advantage from the regular season into the championship playoff. If its lead over the other teams exceeds 30 points, it will be crowned champion and retain its 2025 title.

The team coached by Joaquín Papa recently ended winning runs of 11 matches in the league and 16 across all competitions after drawing with Universidad Católica. It also remains in the quarterfinals of both the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Ecuador.

Four places remain, with Macará, Universidad Católica, Liga de Quito, Barcelona SC, Libertad, Mushuc Runa, Guayaquil City, Leones, Emelec, Deportivo Cuenca and Orense still in contention. The 16-team competition will divide after 30 home-and-away rounds. The top six will enter the championship hexagonal, teams ranked seventh through 10th will play for a Copa Sudamericana place, and the bottom six will enter the relegation hexagonal. Clubs retain their regular-season points, making the final standings before the split especially important.