Sofia Quijada
Macara host Deportivo Cuenca at Estadio Bellavista in a Liga Pro 2026 Apertura clash between two sides separated by just one point in the standings. Macara sit 5th with 29 points while Cuenca occupy 7th on 28, making this a direct six-pointer with real implications for the top half of the table. The home side arrive in strong form, having won three of their last four matches, while Cuenca have managed just one draw in four outings and scored only one goal across their last five Liga Pro games.
Midfielder Matías Miranda has been Macara’s most productive player recently, contributing a goal and an assist in his last five appearances, and his ability to combine with the attack in a 4-2-3-1 structure gives Macara genuine threat through the middle. For Cuenca, striker Matías Klimowicz is their sole scorer in the last five matches and their best hope of threatening the Macara backline.
Hot stat: Deportivo Cuenca have failed to score in four of their last five Liga Pro matches, netting just one goal across that entire run.
| 🏆 Tournament: | Liga Pro 2026 – Apertura (Ecuador) |
| 🏟 Venue: | Estadio Bellavista, Ambato |
| 🗓️ Date: | 22.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 21:00 CEST |
Macara vs Deportivo Cuenca Prediction
The form gap between these two sides is stark. Macara have won three of their last four games, including victories over Mushuc Runa (2-1), Tecnico Universitario (2-0), and LDU Quito (1-0). Cuenca have not won in four attempts, losing three, and have been shut out in three of those. At home, Macara have the backing of Estadio Bellavista and a squad with clear attacking intent. The head-to-head record is tight, but Macara won the most recent Liga Pro meeting 2-0 in the 2025 Placement Group and beat Cuenca 3-1 in Liga Pro 2024.
Macara average 1.2 goals per game across their last five matches (6 total), while Cuenca average just 0.2 (1 total). Cuenca commit only 6.4 fouls per game compared to Macara’s 11.2, suggesting Cuenca play a more passive, defensive style. Macara’s 4-2-3-1 generates more attacking pressure, with 37 total shots to Cuenca’s 49 across five games, though Cuenca’s higher shot count has not translated into goals given their 0 goals from open play across most of those fixtures. Cuenca’s one red card in five matches also indicates some defensive fragility under pressure. We predict Macara to win this match, with the home advantage and current form making them the clear pick.
- Best bet: Macara to win (1X2)
- Value pick: Under 2.5 goals, given Cuenca’s near-total attacking drought
- BTTS: No, Cuenca have failed to score in four of five recent games
| 🔥 Hot Tip: | Macara to win to nil |
| ⚽ Total Goals: | Under 2.5 |
| 💥 Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯 Total Corners: | Over 7.5 |
Team Analysis
Macara’s last four matches show a team in decent touch under Guillermo Sanguinetti. They beat Mushuc Runa 2-1 and Tecnico Universitario 2-0 in consecutive home games, then took all three points against LDU Quito (1-0), before dropping a 1-2 defeat to Delfin in their most recent outing. That loss to Delfin, a side with a lower ranking, is the only blemish in an otherwise productive run. Macara have scored in all four matches and demonstrated the ability to grind out low-scoring wins. Their 4-2-3-1 formation gives them a structured midfield base while allowing attacking flexibility. With 43 interceptions across five matches, they are active defensively and press with purpose.
Deportivo Cuenca’s recent form under Jorge Célico has been poor. They lost 0-2 to Barcelona SC, 0-1 to Sociedad Deportiva Aucas, and 0-2 to Universidad Católica, sandwiching a 1-1 draw with Leones del Norte. Their only goal in five Liga Pro matches came in that draw. A 0-0 draw with Deportivo La Union FC in their earlier fixture rounds out a run where attacking output has been almost nonexistent. Cuenca generate shots (49 across five games) but convert at a very poor rate. Their 4-1-4-1 shape prioritizes defensive compactness, yet they have conceded seven goals in four Liga Pro outings. Klimowicz remains their main threat but has received one yellow card and a red card in five appearances, which could limit his impact at Estadio Bellavista.
🚨 Check out our dedicated Macara vs Deportivo Cuenca stats page for more info.
Across seven head-to-head meetings, Macara hold a slight edge with 8 goals scored to Cuenca’s 6. The series is closely contested, with four of those seven matches ending in a Cuenca win or draw, but Macara have won the two most recent Liga Pro encounters in competitive conditions. The February 2026 friendly saw Cuenca win 2-1, yet that result has limited weight given the context. In official Liga Pro play this season, the teams drew 1-1 in their first meeting, making this second leg a decisive one for both sides’ Apertura ambitions.
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Macara the Favourite
- Moneyline Macara 2.12 | Deportivo Cuenca 3.63
- Draw 3.13
- Over/Under Over 2.5 — | Under 2.5 —
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes — | No —
Pinnacle’s lines are the sharpest reference point here. Macara at 2.12 reflects a market that gives them roughly a 47% implied probability of winning, which aligns with the bookmakers’ average of 44%. Given Macara’s three wins in four, their home ground advantage, and Cuenca’s complete attacking failure over the same period, those odds carry genuine value. The draw at 3.13 is fair given how often these two sides have shared points, but Cuenca’s current form makes a point-sharing outcome harder to justify. Macara to win is the play.
Possible Starting Lineups
Macara Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Rodrigo Rodríguez
- DF: Denilson Bolanos, Jairo Jimenez, Marlon Medranda, Tono Espinoza
- MF: Jose Cazares, Jean Estacio, Matías Miranda
Rodrigo Rodríguez starts in goal, having featured in four of the last five matches with five saves recorded. Denilson Bolanos is the most active defender in the squad, with seven interceptions and one assist in four appearances, making him a key figure on the left side of the backline. Jose Cazares anchors the midfield with six interceptions and 138 passes in four games, while Matías Miranda’s goal and assist return makes him the standout creative force. Macara should line up in their familiar 4-2-3-1, with Miranda operating in the number ten role.
Deportivo Cuenca Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Facundo Ferrero
- DF: Ivan Mateo Piedra Zaputt, Yeltzin Erique, Edison Vega, Patricio Boolsen
- MF: Jeremy Chacon, Mateo Maccari, David Gonzalez
- FW: Matías Klimowicz, Romario Ibarra, Lucas Mancinelli
Facundo Ferrero has been Cuenca’s busiest player between the posts with 18 saves across five matches, which speaks directly to how much pressure their defense has been under. Yeltzin Erique leads the backline with five interceptions and eight free kicks won in four appearances. In midfield, Mateo Maccari has the highest pass count among Cuenca’s outfield players (200 in four games), providing the link between defense and attack. Klimowicz is the lone scorer in this squad over the last five matches and will operate as the focal point of the 4-1-4-1, to be honest his red card history is a concern in a high-pressure away fixture. Romario Ibarra offers pace and directness on the right flank.
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Deportivo Cuenca. Source: Official Instagram. Edited photo
TipsGG Match Prediction
Macara enter this fixture as deserved favorites. Three wins in four, a goal in every recent match, and home advantage at Estadio Bellavista all point in one direction. Cuenca have been toothless in attack, scoring once in five Liga Pro games, and their defensive record of seven goals conceded in four matches confirms they are not a side capable of absorbing sustained pressure right now. The head-to-head series is tight over time, but current form heavily favors the home side. We predict a Macara win, most likely by a single goal, with a clean sheet a realistic possibility given Cuenca’s attacking struggles. Under 2.5 goals and BTTS No are the supporting markets that align with everything the data shows.
