Five goals, two comebacks and a late winner: Pottu Via Ho edged CD El Nacional 3-2 in a thoroughly entertaining Ecuadorian Campeonato Serie B fixture that swung one way and then the other before the home side finally took control of the scoreline in the closing stages.

The hosts started brightly, surrendered the lead twice to a resilient El Nacional side, and then found the one moment of quality that mattered most. It was the kind of win that can reshape a season — and the kind of defeat that will frustrate a club with El Nacional's pedigree as they chase a return to Ecuador's top flight.

Match overview

The tone was set inside the opening quarter of an hour. Pottu Via Ho pressed high, forced errors in El Nacional's build-up and were rewarded with the opening goal after a quick exchange on the edge of the box. The lead, however, lasted only until midway through the first half, when El Nacional found an equaliser with a well-worked move of their own.

From there, the match became an end-to-end contest. Neither defence looked entirely comfortable, both midfields conceded space in transition, and the five goals that followed were the natural product of a game played at high tempo with plenty of attacking ambition on both sides.

Key moments

• 12' — 1-0 Pottu Via Ho: A sharp pressing sequence won the ball high up the pitch and a first-time finish inside the box gave the hosts the ideal start.
• 34' — 1-1 CD El Nacional: The visitors' response was calm and clinical, with a flowing move down the left ending in a composed finish at the near post.
• 58' — 2-1 Pottu Via Ho: A set-piece from the right was only half-cleared, and the follow-up shot from the edge of the area found the bottom corner.
• 71' — 2-2 CD El Nacional: A substitute made an immediate impact, arriving late in the box to convert a low cross and level the score for the second time.
• 88' — 3-2 Pottu Via Ho: The winner came from a counter-attack, with the home side breaking at pace and finishing coolly to send the home crowd into celebration.

Tactical story

Pottu Via Ho's game plan revolved around aggressive pressing and rapid vertical passing. When it worked, El Nacional struggled to play out from the back and lost possession in dangerous areas. The downside of that approach was visible whenever the visitors beat the first line of pressure: suddenly there was a large amount of space for El Nacional's forwards to attack, which is exactly how they scored both of their goals.

El Nacional, for their part, looked most dangerous when they switched the point of attack. Their equalisers came from patient build-up rather than direct play, and the introduction of fresh legs on the hour mark changed the rhythm of the game in their favour for a spell. The problem was the moments immediately after scoring: twice the visitors were level, and twice they allowed their opponents to regain the initiative within twenty minutes.

The decisive goal was a perfect illustration of the difference between the sides on the night. With the game stretched and El Nacional pushing numbers forward in search of a winner, Pottu Via Ho won the ball in midfield, attacked the vacated space and finished the move with the composure that had been missing from their earlier attempts.

Standout players

The home side's attacking unit deserves the credit for the result. Their striker, involved in two of the three goals, led the line with energy and held the ball up well when his team needed to relieve pressure. The midfielder who scored the second goal controlled the tempo in the middle third and was consistently the player who turned defensive recoveries into attacking moves.

For CD El Nacional, the substitute who scored the second equaliser made the biggest impression, adding pace and directness in the final half hour. Their wide players also caused problems throughout, particularly in one-on-one situations, and it was no coincidence that both goals originated in wide areas.

What it means in the Campeonato Serie B table

Three points at home in the Ecuadorian Campeonato Serie B are worth their weight in gold, and this result gives Pottu Via Ho genuine momentum in the standings. Winning a match in which you concede twice builds belief that is difficult to manufacture any other way, and the team's attacking output is now among the more encouraging in the division.

For El Nacional, the defeat is a setback rather than a disaster, but it will sting. A club with such a rich tradition in Ecuadorian football expects to convert performances like this into results, and losing a game in which they twice drew level will raise questions about game management in the closing stages. The head-to-head record b