The history of Copa Ecuador
Copa Ecuador is a relatively new tournament in Ecuadorian football, having been established in 2018. It was created as a way to give more teams a chance to compete in a national cup competition, and to provide a pathway for smaller clubs to qualify for the Copa Libertadores, South America's most prestigious club tournament. The competition is open to all teams from the top two tiers of the Ecuadorian football pyramid, and it has quickly become a popular and exciting addition to the domestic football calendar.
The first edition of the tournament was won by Liga de Quito, one of the biggest and most successful clubs in Ecuadorian football history. They defeated Delfin SC in the final to claim their first Copa Ecuador title, and they went on to compete in the Copa Libertadores the following season. The 2019 edition of the tournament was won by Barcelona SC, another of Ecuador's most successful clubs, who beat Delfin SC in the final to lift the trophy. The 2020 edition of the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the competition is set to return in 2021.
Overview of the top clubs with most Copa Ecuador victories
Since the tournament's inception in 2018, there have been five different winners of the Copa Ecuador. Liga de Quito and Barcelona SC have each won the competition once, while Emelec, Deportivo Cuenca, and El Nacional have all won it twice. These five clubs are the current cup kings of Ecuador, and they have each established themselves as dominant forces in the competition. Let's take a closer look at each of these clubs and their record in the Copa Ecuador.
Club profile: LDU Quito and times they won the cup
Liga de Quito, or LDU Quito as they are commonly known, are one of the most successful clubs in Ecuadorian football history. They have won the Serie A title on 11 occasions, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. They are also the current holders of the Copa Ecuador, having won the first edition of the tournament in 2018.
In that inaugural edition of the Copa Ecuador, LDU Quito defeated Delfin SC 2-0 in the final to claim the trophy. They were dominant throughout the tournament, winning six of their eight matches and scoring 16 goals in the process. LDU Quito's success in the Copa Ecuador was just the latest in a long line of achievements for the club, and they will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet in the years to come.
Club profile: Barcelona SC Cup Kings and times they won the cup
Barcelona SC are one of the most popular and successful clubs in Ecuadorian football history. They have won the Serie A title on 15 occasions, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. They are also the current holders of the Copa Ecuador, having won the most recent edition of the tournament in 2019.
In that edition of the Copa Ecuador, Barcelona SC defeated Delfin SC 3-0 in the final to claim the trophy. They were dominant throughout the tournament, winning six of their eight matches and scoring 16 goals in the process. Barcelona SC's success in the Copa Ecuador was just the latest in a long line of achievements for the club, and they will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet in the years to come.
Club profile: Emelec and times they won the cup
Emelec are one of the most successful clubs in Ecuadorian football history. They have won the Serie A title on 14 occasions, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. They have also won the Copa Ecuador twice, in 2019 and 2020.
In the 2019 edition of the Copa Ecuador, Emelec defeated Liga de Portoviejo 2-1 in the final to claim the trophy. They were dominant throughout the tournament, winning six of their eight matches and scoring 21 goals in the process. In the 2020 edition of the tournament, which was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Emelec defeated Liga de Quito 2-1 in the final to claim their second Copa Ecuador title.
CS Emelec - A footballing institution in Ecuador
Club profile: Deportivo Cuenca and times they won the cup
Deportivo Cuenca are a provincial club based in the city of Cuenca, in southern Ecuador. They have won the Serie A title once, in 2004, and they have also won the Copa Ecuador twice, in 2018 and 2019.
In the 2018 edition of the Copa Ecuador, Deportivo Cuenca defeated Liga de Quito 3-2 on aggregate in the final to claim the trophy. They were underdogs throughout the tournament, but they produced a series of impressive performances to reach the final and secure the trophy. In the 2019 edition of the tournament, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by LDU Quito.
Club profile: El Nacional and times they won the cup
El Nacional are one of the oldest and most traditional clubs in Ecuadorian football. They have won the Serie A title on 13 occasions, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. They have also won the Copa Ecuador twice, in 2018 and 2020.
In the 2018 edition of the Copa Ecuador, El Nacional defeated Delfin SC 2-1 on aggregate in the final to claim the trophy. They were impressive throughout the tournament, winning five of their eight matches and scoring 15 goals in the process. In the 2020 edition of the tournament, which was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, El Nacional defeated LDU Portoviejo 2-1 in the final to claim their second Copa Ecuador title.
Other notable clubs with Copa Ecuador victories
While Liga de Quito, Barcelona SC, Emelec, Deportivo Cuenca, and El Nacional are the current cup kings of Ecuador, there have been other clubs that have enjoyed success in the Copa Ecuador. Delfin SC, who were runners-up in the first two editions of the tournament, are one such club. They have established themselves as one of the strongest teams outside of the traditional powerhouses of Ecuadorian football, and they will be looking to go one better in the coming years.
Other clubs that have enjoyed success in the Copa Ecuador include Liga de Portoviejo, who were runners-up in the 2019 edition of the tournament, and Independiente del Valle, who reached the semi-finals in 2019. These clubs, along with many others, have shown that the Copa Ecuador is a tournament that can produce surprises and upsets, and that any team has a chance of lifting the trophy.
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