Caracas secured its spot in the Copa Sudamericana group stage on Thursday after a 2-0 victory over Deportivo La Guaira in a single-match first-round clash held in Venezuela.

Ender Echenique, the Hero of the Night

Deportivo La Guaira started strong, dominating the first 20 minutes and putting pressure on a Caracas side that struggled to find a way out of its own half. However, in the 22nd minute, Ender Echenique capitalized on a loose ball at the edge of the box and finished precisely to put his team ahead—a lead they held until halftime.

In the second half, La Guaira continued pushing and had a clear chance in the 52nd minute when a free kick from José Alí Meza was blocked by the Caracas defense.

As the orange-clad side grew desperate for an equalizer, gaps in their defense allowed Echenique to strike again in the 56th minute with a powerful shot into the top corner, beating goalkeeper Eduardo Lima.

Deportivo La Guaira Dominates Possession but Lacks Efficiency

Despite the loss, the team led by Daniel Farías controlled possession, generated six corner kicks, and took five shots on target, but a lack of efficiency ultimately cost them a place in the Copa Sudamericana.

In the Venezuelan League, Deportivo La Guaira remains at the top of the standings with 12 points, while Caracas sits in eighth place with eight points.

On Wednesday, Puerto Cabello also secured a group-stage spot after a dominant 3-0 victory over Metropolitanos.