2017–18 Liga Panameña de Fútbol season

Liga Panameña de Fútbol
Season2017–18
ChampionsApertura: Chorrillo (3rd title)
Clausura: Independiente (1st title)
Champions LeagueIndependiente
CONCACAF LeagueChorrillo
Árabe Unido
Tauro
Matches played65
Goals scored134 (2.06 per match)
Biggest home winPlaza Amador 3-0 Chorrillo
Chorrillo 3-0 Atletico Veraguense
Highest scoringSan Francisco 2-3 Atletico Veraguense

The 2017–18 Liga Panameña de Fútbol season (also known as the Liga Cable Onda) was the 28th season of top-flight football in Panama. The season began on 17 July 2017 and was scheduled to end in May 2018. Ten teams competed throughout the entire season.

Teams

Atlético Nacional finished in 10th place in the overall table last season and were relegated to the Liga Nacional de Ascenso. Taking their place for this season are the overall champions of last season's Liga Nacional de Ascenso, Independiente.

Club Home city Stadium
Alianza Panama City Cancha de Entranamiento Luis Tapia
Árabe Unido Colón Armando Dely Valdes
Atletico Veraguense Santiago de Veraguas Aristocles "Toco" Castillo
Chorrillo Panama City Estadio Maracaná
Independiente La Chorrera Estadio Maracaná
Plaza Amador Panama City Estadio Maracaná
San Francisco La Chorrera Estadio Agustín Sánchez
Santa Gema Arraiján Estadio Agustín Sánchez
Sporting San Miguelito San Miguelito Cancha de Entrenamiento Luis Tapia
Tauro Panama City Estadio Rommel Fernandez

Managerial changes

Before the start of the season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
TBD Brazil TBD Sacked May 2017 Uruguay TBD May 2017 th (TBD)
Alianza Panama Mario Anthony Torres Sacked May 2017 Panama Juan Carlos Cubilla May 2017 th (TBD)
Atletico Veraguense Colombia Andres Dominguez Resigned June 2017 Colombia Edgar Ramos June 2017 th (TBD)
Santa Gema Panama Leopoldo Lee Sacked June 2017 Panama José Mario Anthony Torres June 2017 th (TBD)
Independiente Panama Sacked May 2017 Panama Jorge Dely Valdés May 2017 th (TBD)
San Francisco Panama Pascual Moreno Interimship moved to full time coach May 2017 Panama Pascual Moreno May 2017 th (TBD)

During the Apertura season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
San Francisco Panama Pascual Moreno Sacked August 2017 Colombia Andres Dominguez August 2017 10th (Apertura 2017)
Alianza Panama Juan Carlos Cubilla Sacked August 2017 Panama Daniel Valencia August 2017 10th (Apertura 2017)
Sporting San Miguelito Colombia Javier Miller Sacked August 2017 Panama Víctor René Mendieta August 2017 10th (Apertura 2017)

Between Apertura and Clausura seasons

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Plaza Amador Colombia Jair Palcios Contract finished November 2017 Spain Juan Carlos García December 2017 12th (Apertura 2017)
Alianza Panama Daniel Valencia Moved back to Assistant coach November 2017 Colombia Jair Palacios November 2017 12th (Apertura 2017)
Atletico Veraguense Colombia Edgar Ramos Moved back to Assistant coach November 2017 Panama Marcos Pimentel November 2017 12th (Apertura 2017)
Independiente Panama Jorge Dely Valdés Sacked November 2017 Panama Donaldo Gonzales November 2017 12th (Apertura 2017)
Arabe Unidos Colombia Sergio Guzman Sacked December 2017 Colombia Carlos Ruiz January 2018 12th (Apertura 2017)

During the Clausura season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Atletico Veraguense Panama Marcos Pimentel Sacked February 2018 Colombia Javier Reales February 2018 10th (Clausura 2018)
Sporting San Miguelito Panama Victor Rene Mendieta Sacked February 2018 Panama Noel Guiterrez February 2018 10th (Clausura 2018)
Chorillo Colombia Richard Resigned March 2018 Colombia Óscar Upegui March 2018 10th (Clausura 2018)

2017 Apertura

Personnel and sponsoring (2017 Apertura)

Team Chairman Head Coach Kitmaker Shirt sponsor
Alianza TBD Panama Daniel Valencia x keuka Balboa
Árabe Unido TBD Colombia Juan Sergio Guzmán x kelme Pizza Hut
Atletico Veraguense Panama TBD Colombia Edgar Ramos x keuka EGS, NCO
Chorrillo Colombia Richard Parra x adidas McDonald's, Cremoso
Independiente Panama Panama Jorge Dely Valdés x adidas
Plaza Amador TBD Colombia Jair Palacios x umbro Páguela Facil, Frosquito, Mercana
Santa Gema Panama Jose Mario Torres x kelme ShowPro
San Francisco Julio Quijano Colombia Andres Dominguez x puma KFC, Canon, Banco General
Sporting San Miguelito TBD Colombia Javier Miller x keuka Kenwood, Hyundai
Tauro TBD Panama Rolando Palma x Patrick Publica Amarias, Dominos, Estrella Azul, Argos, Capital Bank

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Tauro 18 9 7 2 25 13 +12 34 Qualified to the Final Round
2 Plaza Amador 18 9 6 3 22 12 +10 33
3 Árabe Unido 18 8 9 1 21 11 +10 33
4 Chorrillo 18 6 8 4 21 17 +4 26
5 Atletico Veraguense 18 7 4 7 22 27 −5 25
6 Independiente 18 6 4 8 11 18 −7 22
7 San Francisco 18 5 5 8 23 24 −1 20
8 Sporting San Miguelito 18 3 8 7 17 22 −5 17
9 Santa Gema 18 3 6 9 14 21 −7 15
10 Alianza 18 3 5 10 12 23 −11 14
Updated to match(es) played on 1 October 2017. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

Home \ Away ALI ÁRU ATV CHO IND PA SAN SF SSM TAU
Alianza 0–1 2–0 0–0 0–0 1–2 0–0 0–2 2–2 0–0
Árabe Unido 2–1 4–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–0
Atletico Veraguense 3–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 2–1 2–2 1–0 1–2
Chorrillo 2–1 1–1 3–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 2–0
Independiente 1–0 0–1 0–2 1–0 1–3 1–0 2–1 0–0 0–2
Plaza Amador 0–1 0–1 1–0 3–0 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–0
Santa Gema 2–0 1–1 0–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 0–2 2–3 0–0
San Francisco 3–0 0–2 2–3 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–3 1–0 1–2
Sporting San Miguelito 1–3 0–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 2–2
Tauro 2–0 0–0 4–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–3 1–0
Updated to match(es) played on 1 October 2017. Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second stage

Semifinals Final
        
1 Tauro 0 1 1
4 Chorrillo 0 2 2
Chorrillo 5
Árabe Unido 1
2 Plaza Amador 1 0 1(4)
3 Árabe Unido 0 1 1(5)

Semifinals

First legs
Chorrillo0 – 0Tauro
None None
Tauro1 – 2Chorrillo
Jose Gomez 58' Roberto Blackburn 28' 45'
Second legs
Árabe Unido0 – 1Plaza Amador
None Ernesto Sinclair 60'
Plaza Amador(4)0 – 1(5)Árabe Unido
None Nelson Barahona 46'

Finals

Grand Final
Chorrillo5 – 1Árabe Unido
Alfredo Stephens 7' 27'
Samir Ramirez 63'
Rolando Blackburn 82'
Luis Hurtado 87'		 Enrico Small pen.' (73)
Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez
Referee: Ameth Sanchez


 Apertura 2017 champions 
Chorrillo
3rd title

2018 Clausura

Personnel and sponsoring (2018 Clausura)

Team Chairman Head Coach Kitmaker Shirt sponsor
Alianza TBD Colombia Jair Palacios x Lotto Balboa
Árabe Unido TBD Colombia Carlos Ruiz Velásquez x Puma Pizza Hut
Independiente F.C. Panama Donaldo Gonzalez x Lotto Subway
Atletico Veraguense TBD Colombia Javier Reales x GEMS EGS, NCO
Chorrillo Colombia Óscar Upegui x Lotto McDonald's, Cremoso
Plaza Amador TBD Spain Juan Carlos García x Diadora Páguela Facil, Frosquito, Mercana
Santa Gema Panama José Mario Anthony "Chalate" Torres x Mitre ShowPro
San Francisco Julio Quijano Colombia Andrés Domínguez x Lotto KFC, Canon, Banco General
Sporting San Miguelito TBD Panama Noel Guiterrez x Joma Kenwood, Hyundai
Tauro TBD Colombia Sergio Angulo x Patrick Publicar Páginas Amarillas

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Árabe Unido 18 8 6 4 23 16 +7 30 Qualified to the Final Round
2 Independiente 18 8 5 5 28 21 +7 29
3 San Francisco 18 7 8 3 19 12 +7 29
4 Tauro 18 7 7 4 25 21 +4 28
5 Alianza 18 7 6 5 21 13 +8 27
6 Chorrillo 18 5 8 5 15 17 −2 23
7 Sporting San Miguelito 18 5 7 6 22 26 −4 22
8 Santa Gema 18 4 9 5 11 13 −2 21
9 Plaza Amador 18 5 4 9 16 20 −4 19
10 Atletico Veraguense 18 2 4 12 13 34 −21 10
Updated to match(es) played on season start. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

Home \ Away ALI ÁRU ATV CHO IND PA SAN SF SSM TAU
Alianza 2–1
Árabe Unido 2–0
Atletico Veraguense
Chorrillo 1–0
Independiente
Plaza Amador
Santa Gema 1–1
San Francisco
Sporting San Miguelito
Tauro
Updated to match(es) played on season start. Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second stage

Semifinals Final
        
1 Árabe Unido 0 2 2
4 Tauro 2 2 4
Tauro 0
Independiente 1
2 Independiente 0 3 3
3 San Francisco 1 1 2

Semifinals

First legs
Tauro2 – 0Árabe Unido
Marcos Sanchez 24'
Adalberto Carrasquilla 90'		 None
Árabe Unido2 – 2Tauro
Carlos Small 15'
Joseph Cox 80'		 Enrico Small 103' 106'
Second legs
San Francisco1 – 0Independiente
Cristian Zuniga 39' None
Independiente3 – 1San Francisco
Jose Fajardo 56' 66'
Eric Vasquez (o.g.)		 Julian Verlarde 24'

Finals

Grand Final
Tauro0 – 1Independiente
None Omar Browne pen.' (39)


 Clausura 2018 champions 
Independiente
1st title

List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players for the 2017-2018. The following players:

  1. have played at least one game for the respective club.
  2. have not been capped for the Panama national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace

(player released mid season)

Aggregate table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Árabe Unido 36 16 15 5 44 27 +17 63 2018 CONCACAF League
2 Tauro 36 16 14 6 51 34 +17 62
3 Plaza Amador 36 14 10 12 38 32 +6 52
4 Independiente 36 14 9 13 39 39 0 51 2019 CONCACAF Champions League
5 San Francisco 36 12 13 11 42 36 +6 49
6 Chorrillo 36 11 16 9 37 35 +2 49 2018 CONCACAF League
7 Alianza 36 10 11 15 33 36 −3 41
8 Sporting San Miguelito 36 8 15 13 39 49 −10 39
9 Santa Gema 36 7 15 14 25 34 −9 36
10 Atletico Veraguense 36 9 8 19 35 61 −26 35 Relegation to 2018–19 Liga de Ascenso
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.


References