The 2010 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol de la Serie A (known as the 2010 Copa Credife Serie A for sponsorship reasons) was the 52nd season of the Serie A, Ecuador's premier football league. It ran from February 7 to December 12.
Emelec and LDU Quito each won the First and Second Stage, respectively, and played each other in the championship finals. LDU Quito won the first leg at home by a score of 2–0. Emelec could not overturn the deficit with a 1–0 win at home in the second leg. LDU Quito won their tenth national title, tying them for third overall with Emelec.
Format
A new format for the 2010 season was announced by the Ecuadorian Football Federation on December 15, 2009.[1][2] The season was divided into three stages. The First and Second Stages were identical stages with a double round-robin format. Each team played the others twice, once at home and once away. The winners of each stage qualified to play a two-legged tie in the Third Stage for the title. The two highest non-stage winners in the aggregate table of the First and Second Stages played each in another two-legged tie in a Third Stage playoff for third place. Had the same team won both stages, they would have been automatically be crowned the champion. In that case, a two-legged tie would have been held in the Third Stage between the two best-placed teams in the aggregate table to determine who is the runner-up and who finished in third place. The two teams at the bottom of the aggregate table of the first two stages were relegated to the Serie B for the following season.
Twelve teams competed in the 2010 Serie A season, ten of whom remained from the 2009 season. LDU Portoviejo and Técnico Universitario were relegated last season to the Serie B after accumulating the fewest points in the First and Second Stage aggregate table. They were replaced by Independiente José Terán[3] and Universidad Católica,[4] the 2009 Serie B winner and runner-up, respectively.[5] This was Universidad Católica's 27th season in the Serie A, having last played in the league in 2008. This was Independiente José Terán's first season in the Serie A.
Source: [47] Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Third stage
The Third Stage began on December 4 and ended on December 12. Both ties in the Third Stage were determined by points. If there was a tie in points, the tie-breakers to be used in order were goal difference, away goals, and a penalty shoot-out.[48]
Third-place playoff
Deportivo Quito and Barcelona qualified to the Third-place Playoff by being the two best non-stage winners in the aggregate table. The winner of the playoff earned the Ecuador 3 berth in the 2011 Copa Libertadores. By having the greater number of points in the aggregate table, Barcelona played the second leg as the home team.
Emelec and LDU Quito qualified to the Finals by being the First Stage and Second Stage winners, respectively. The winner was the Serie A champion and earned the Ecuador 1 berth in the 2011 Copa Libertadores. By having the greater number of points in the aggregate table, Emelec played the second leg as the home team.
^"Espoli ya tiene técnico para 2010" [Espoli now has a manager for 2010]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. November 16, 2009. Archived from the original on 28 December 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
^"Lo que trajó el Ciclón" [What the Ciclón brought in]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. December 16, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
^"Se le agotaron las oportunidades" [His opportunities ran dry]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. March 2, 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
^"Díaz es el elegido de la Chatoleí" [Díaz is the chosen one for the Chatoleí]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
^"Olmedo decapita a su entrenador" [Olmedo sacks their coach]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. March 13, 2010. Archived from the original on 17 March 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
^"Asombrado a su llegada al Valle" [Amazed at his arrival at the Valley]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. May 12, 2010. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
^"Es un orgullo volver a Ecuador" [It is an honor to return to Ecuador]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. April 29, 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
^"Fin de la era Díaz" [End of the Díaz era]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. June 7, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
^"Oportunidades agotadas" [Wasted opportunities]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. June 9, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
^"Paúl Vélez deja el Deportivo Cuenca" [Paúl Vélez leaves Deportivo Cuenca]. Website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
^"Los muchachos están caídos" [The boys are demoralized]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. June 23, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
^"No hay técnico que dure en el Celeste" [There is no manager that lasts at el Celeste]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. June 29, 2010. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
^"Inicia la era Riggio" [The era of Riggio begins]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
^"Terminó la era del Poeta" [The era of 'the Poet' is over]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. August 12, 2010. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
^"Sevilla por el Tricampeonato" [Sevilla for the tri-championship]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. August 13, 2010. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
^ ab"Oficial: Saralegui viene al Nacho" [Official: Saralegui coming to el Nacho]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. August 23, 2010. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
^"La Guillotina Celeste" [The 'Celeste' Guillotine]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Janio es de Papá". website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 14, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
^"Lara se baja del Trencito" [Lara steps off 'el Trencito' (the Train)]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 19, 2010. Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
^"De la mano de Hans Ortega" [By Hans Ortega's hands]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
^"El Turco Assad asume en El Valle" [El Turco assumes en El Valle]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
^"Jorge Célico fue inscrito por Catolica" [Jorge Célico was registered for Catolica]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 21, 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
^"Chau Chocho" [Bye Chocho]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 27, 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
^"Madera de Guerrero para el Ídolo del Astillero" [Guerrero for the Ídolo del Astillero]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. September 27, 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
^"El regreso del Hijo Pródigo" [The return of the Prodigal Son]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. October 3, 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
^"Agarra sus maletas y se va" [Grabbed his bags and left]. website (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. November 13, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
^ abEspinoza Añazco, Fernando; Andrés, Juan Pablo (January 28, 2011). "Ecuador 2010". website. RSSSF. Primera Etapa. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
^ abEspinoza Añazco, Fernando; Andrés, Juan Pablo (January 28, 2011). "Ecuador 2010". website. RSSSF. Segunda Etapa. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
^Espinoza Añazco, Fernando; Andrés, Juan Pablo (January 28, 2011). "Ecuador 2010". website. RSSSF. Tabla Anual. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.