Universidad Católica reached the Copa Ecuador semi-finals after defeating a team from El Astillero 1-0 to join Liga de Quito in the last four of the 2026 tournament.
Forward José Fajardo scored the decisive goal in the 25th minute of the quarter-final tie. The Panamanian international capitalized on a defensive mistake when the opposing side hesitated while attempting to clear the ball from their penalty area, leaving Fajardo with a clear opportunity in front of goal.
Universidad Católica, nicknamed El Trencito Azul, entered the match as favorites and controlled the contest after taking the lead. The victory confirms their place in the semi-finals, where they will face Liga de Quito in a rematch of the previous edition's final.
Both Universidad Católica and Liga de Quito are based in the capital city of Quito. Liga de Quito had already secured their spot as one of the first two semi-finalists in the competition.
Ecuadorian cup structure and opposition
The Copa Ecuador is the domestic knockout cup tournament organized by the Ecuadorian Football Federation, featuring clubs from across the country's professional league structure. The term El Astillero refers to the historic shipyard district of Guayaquil, the coastal city that is home to two of Ecuador's most prominent football institutions, Barcelona SC and CS Emelec.
Remaining quarter-final matches
The remaining two semi-finalists will be determined following the completion of the final two quarter-final fixtures later in September. Liga de Portoviejo will play coastal side Delfín SC on September 16, while Gualaceo SC will face Independiente del Valle on September 24.
Delfín SC and Liga de Portoviejo both hail from the Manabí province, while Independiente del Valle represent Sangolquí, near Quito. Gualaceo SC are based in the Azuay province in the southern highlands of Ecuador.
The winners of those two remaining quarter-final ties will advance to face each other in the second semi-final. The winners of that match will then compete for the Copa Ecuador trophy alongside the victor of the semi-final between Universidad Católica and Liga de Quito.
