1997–98 Honduran Liga Nacional

In 1997–98 the Honduran Liga Nacional brought a new competition system; the league would be now divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura), having C.D. Motagua won their 6th and 7th title in this new format. The tournament lasted from August 1997 to October 1998 and it consisted of 11 teams for the first time since the 1981–82 season. The final match was played in the evening of 25 October, just a few hours before Hurricane Mitch landed in the coasts of Honduras.

Liga Nacional

Season	1997–98
Champions	Apertura: Motagua (6th title) Clausura: Motagua (7th title)
Relegated	Palestino Independiente Villela
Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica	Motagua Real España Olimpia
Top goalscorer	Apertura: Wilmer Velásquez (19) Clausura: Amado Guevara (15)
Biggest home win	Vida 7–2 Independiente (19 October 1997)
Biggest away win	Independiente 1–4 Olimpia (8 July 1998) Victoria 1–4 Olimpia (9 August 1998) Real Maya 1–4 Motagua (20 September 1998)
Highest scoring	Vida 7–2 Independiente (19 October 1997)
← 1996–97 1998–99 → All statistics correct as of 25 October 1998.

1997–98 teams

• Independiente Villela (invited)
• Marathón
• Motagua
• Olimpia
• Palestino (promoted)
• Platense
• Real España
• Real Maya
• Universidad
• Victoria
• Vida

Apertura

Regular season

• Also serves as 1997 Honduran Cup.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Platense	20	12	2	6	42	26	+16	38	Qualified to the Final round
2	Motagua	20	10	7	3	23	17	+6	37
3	Olimpia	20	9	9	2	33	21	+12	36
4	Marathón	20	8	8	4	30	24	+6	32
5	Real España	20	8	8	4	30	26	+4	32
6	Universidad	20	8	6	6	29	26	+3	30
7	Victoria	20	5	9	6	25	28	−3	24
8	Vida	20	7	2	11	31	33	−2	23
9	Real Maya	20	4	6	10	25	29	−4	18
10	Palestino	20	3	5	12	28	43	−15	14
11	Independiente Villela	20	1	8	11	19	42	−23	11

Source:
Notes:

Results

Home \ Away	IND	MAR	MOT	OLI	PAL	PLA	RES	MAY	UNI	VIC	VID
Independiente Villela		0–2	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–0	1–0	1–1	0–0
Marathón	1–0		0–1	0–0	3–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	0–0	1–1	2–3
Motagua	2–1	0–1		0–3	1–1	1–0	1–1	2–1	1–1	0–0	1–0
Olimpia	2–2	3–2	0–1		3–1	3–3	0–0	2–1	4–0	1–1	3–1
Palestino	1–1	1–3	3–4	1–2		1–3	2–3	1–0	3–2	1–1	2–1
Platense	4–2	1–1	1–0	3–0	4–2		4–1	1–0	1–2	4–1	0–2
Real España	3–1	2–3	0–2	0–0	2–0	1–0		2–0	1–0	2–1	1–0
Real Maya	4–1	2–3	0–0	1–1	2–2	2–3	2–2		1–2	3–0	1–2
Universidad	4–1	1–1	1–1	0–1	2–1	2–1	3–3	1–2		0–0	3–0
Victoria	3–1	1–1	2–3	1–1	2–1	3–2	2–2	2–0	1–2		2–1
Vida	7–2	2–3	0–1	2–2	3–2	1–2	2–1	1–2	2–3	1–0

Source: RSSSF.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Final round

Hexagonal

Marathón v Olimpia

Olimpia v Marathón

15 March 1998 2nd leg	Olimpia	1–0	Marathón	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
	Velásquez			Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Olimpia won 4–2 on aggregate.

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Real España v Motagua

7 March 1998 1st leg	Real España	0–0	Motagua	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
				Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

Motagua v Real España

18 March 1998 2nd leg	Motagua	1–1	Real España	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Martínez 85'		Cabrera 80'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Motagua 1–1 Real España on aggregate. Motagua advanced on better Regular season record; Real España advanced as best loser.

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Universidad v Platense

12 March 1998 1st leg	Universidad	0–0	Platense	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
				Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

Platense v Universidad

15 March 1998 2nd leg	Platense	1–1	Universidad	Puerto Cortés, Cortés
	Contreras		Martínez	Stadium: Estadio Excélsior

• Platense 1–1 Universidad on aggregate; Platense advanced on better Regular season record.

Semifinals

Real España v Platense

28 March 1998 1st leg	Real España	2–0	Platense	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
	Morales García			Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

Platense v Real España

5 April 1998 2nd leg	Platense	1–1	Real España	Puerto Cortés, Cortés
				Stadium: Estadio Excélsior

• Real España won 3–1 on aggregate.

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Olimpia v Motagua

29 March 1998 1st leg	Olimpia	1–2	Motagua	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)	Costa		Guevara Hernández	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

Motagua v Olimpia

4 April 1998 2nd leg	Motagua	0–1	Olimpia	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
			Chacón	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Motagua 2–2 Olimpia on aggregate; Motagua advanced on better Regular season record.

Final

Real España v Motagua

15 April 1998 1st leg	Real España	0–3	Motagua	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
19:30 (UTC−06:00)			Ramírez 21' Lagos 55' Guevara 89'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

Motagua v Real España

18 April 1998 2nd leg	Motagua	2–1	Real España	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Ramírez 20' Guevara 32'		Morales 26'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Motagua won 5–1 on aggregate.

Top goalscorers

19 goals

• Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)

11 goals

• Juan Manuel Cárcamo (Platense)

7 goals

• Denilson Costa (Olimpia)
• Francisco Ramírez (Motagua)
• Marlon Hernández (Motagua)

6 goals

• Amado Guevara (Motagua)
• Alex Pineda Chacón (Olimpia)

5 goals

• Alexis Duarte (Marathón)
• Jairo Martínez (Motagua)
• Edwin Castro (Marathón)

Clausura

Regular season

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Olimpia	20	13	7	0	46	15	+31	46	Qualified to the Final round
2	Motagua	20	14	4	2	39	15	+24	46
3	Platense	20	8	8	4	36	30	+6	32
4	Marathón	20	7	9	4	29	28	+1	30
5	Real Maya	20	8	4	8	26	27	−1	28
6	Victoria	20	6	8	6	24	25	−1	26
7	Vida	20	5	8	7	26	26	0	23
8	Real España	20	5	8	7	24	26	−2	23
9	Palestino	20	4	6	10	20	38	−18	18
10	Independiente Villela	20	2	6	12	23	45	−22	12
11	Universidad	20	1	6	13	14	33	−19	9

Source:

Results

Home \ Away	IND	MAR	MOT	OLI	PAL	PLA	RES	MAY	UNI	VIC	VID
Independiente Villela		1–1	3–3	1–4	0–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–0	1–3	0–0
Marathón	1–0		0–0	0–3	5–0	2–2	3–3	3–2	1–1	1–0	2–0
Motagua	6–1	1–0		1–1	4–1	3–0	2–0	2–0	2–1	1–0	2–0
Olimpia	2–0	5–0	2–1		4–0	1–1	3–1	3–0	2–0	1–1	4–3
Palestino	0–1	4–2	0–1	1–1		1–1	0–3	2–3	2–0	1–1	3–2
Platense	5–3	1–2	3–2	1–2	1–1		2–1	4–1	3–1	2–2	1–0
Real España	2–0	1–1	2–4	0–1	1–1	1–1		2–1	1–2	0–1	0–0
Real Maya	2–1	2–2	0–1	2–2	3–0	0–0	0–1		2–1	1–0	0–0
Universidad	0–0	1–1	0–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	0–1	0–1		1–3	0–2
Victoria	3–2	0–2	0–0	1–4	3–1	1–0	1–1	0–2	1–1		1–1
Vida	5–2	1–1	1–2	0–0	1–0	2–3	1–1	2–1	3–1	2–2

Source: RSSSF.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Final round

Hexagonal

Victoria v Olimpia

19 September 1998 1st leg	Victoria	1–2	Olimpia	La Ceiba, Atlántida
	Bengoché		Costa Martins	Stadium: Estadio Nilmo Edwards

Olimpia v Victoria

27 September 1998 2nd leg	Olimpia	0–1	Victoria	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
14:00 (UTC−06:00)			Venier	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Olimpia 2–2 Victoria on aggregate; Olimpia advances on better performance in Regular season; Victoria advances as best loser.

Marathón v Platense

19 September 1998 1st leg	Marathón	0–0	Platense	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
				Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

Platense v Marathón

27 September 1998 2nd leg	Platense	1–1	Marathón	Puerto Cortés, Cortés
				Stadium: Estadio Excélsior

• Platense 1–1 Marathón on aggregate; Platense advances on better performance in Regular season.

Real Maya v Motagua

20 September 1998 1st leg	Real Maya	1–4	Motagua	Siguatepeque, Comayagua
				Stadium: Estadio Roberto Martínez Avila

Motagua v Real Maya

27 September 1998 2nd leg	Motagua	1–1	Real Maya	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)				Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Motagua won 5–2 on aggregate.

Semifinals

Victoria v Olimpia

3 October 1998 1st leg	Victoria	2–1	Olimpia	La Ceiba, Atlántida
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Obando Venier		Martins	Stadium: Estadio Nilmo Edwards

Olimpia v Victoria

11 October 1998 2nd leg	Olimpia	1–0	Victoria	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)	Martins			Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Olimpia 2–2 Victoria on aggregate; Olimpia advances on better performance in Regular season.

Platense v Motagua

4 October 1998 1st leg	Platense	3–3	Motagua	Puerto Cortés, Cortés
15:00 (UTC−06:00)	Centeno Cruz Fuentes		Guevara	Stadium: Estadio Excélsior

Motagua v Platense

11 October 1998 2nd leg	Motagua	2–1	Platense	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
14:00 (UTC−06:00)	Hernández Ramírez		de León	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Motagua won 5–4 on aggregate.

Final

Motagua v Olimpia

18 October 1998 1st leg	Motagua	0–0	Olimpia	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)				Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

Olimpia v Motagua

25 October 1998 2nd leg	Olimpia	0–1 (a.e.t.)	Motagua	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)			Clavasquín 117'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Attendance: 34,194 Referee: Óscar Bardales

Olimpia

Motagua

GK	–	Silvio Traverso		96'
DF	–	José Fernández
DF	–	Gregorio Serrano
DF	–	Rudy Williams
DF	–	Merlyn Membreño
DF	–	Samuel Caballero
MF	–	José Romero
MF	–	Christian Santamaría
MF	–	Alex Pineda
FW	–	Denilson Costa
FW	–	Rodinei Martins
Substitutions:
MF	–	José Pineda
FW	–	Eduardo Arriola
GK	–	Donaldo González
Manager:
José Herrera

GK	1	Diego Vásquez
DF	4	Hernaín Arzú
DF	5	Milton Reyes
DF	6	Ninrrol Medina
DF	12	Iván Guerrero
DF	13	Reynaldo Clavasquín
MF	8	Juan Coello
MF	20	Amado Guevara
MF	–	Óscar Lagos
FW	11	José Ramírez
FW	14	Marlon Hernández
Substitutions:
MF	–	Luis Guifarro
Manager:
Ramón Maradiaga

• Motagua won 1–0 on aggregate.

Top goalscorers

15 goals

• Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
• Amado Guevara (Motagua)

13 goals

• Denilson Costa (Olimpia)

8 goals

• Juan Manuel Cárcamo (Platense)

7 goals

• Marlon Hernández (Olimpia)
• Francisco Ramírez (Marathón)
• Rodinei Martins (Olimpia)
• Toninho (Marathón)

5 goals

• Alejandro Naíf (Victoria)
• Marvin Brown (Vida)
• Luis Ramírez (Independiente Villela)

2 goals

• Carlos Salinas (Motagua)
• Fabricio Pérez (Marathón)

1 goal

• Alexander Díaz (Real España)
• Enrique Reneau (Marathón)

Relegation table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Motagua	40	24	11	5	62	32	+30	83	Qualified to the 1998 Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica
2	Olimpia	40	22	16	2	79	36	+43	82
3	Platense	40	20	10	10	78	56	+22	70
4	Marathón	40	15	17	8	60	52	+8	62
5	Real España	40	13	16	11	54	52	+2	55	Qualified to the 1998 Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica
6	Victoria	40	11	17	12	49	53	−4	50
7	Vida	40	12	10	18	57	59	−2	46
8	Real Maya	40	12	10	18	51	56	−5	46
9	Universidad	40	9	12	19	43	59	−16	39
10	Palestino	40	7	11	22	48	81	−33	32	Relegated to the Liga de Ascenso
11	Independiente Villela	40	3	14	23	42	87	−45	23

Source:
Notes:

Squads

Independiente Villela
Wilmer Enrique "Supermán" Cruz	Marel Álvarez	Jorge Flores
José Luis “Pili” Aguirre	Martín Castro	Wilmer Roque
David Zambrano	Gustavo Gallegos	Mauricio Edgardo Figueroa
Danilo Velásquez	Arnold López	Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda
Henry Guevara	Iván Ponce	José "Picardía" Padilla
Luis Santamaría	Pablo Valencia	Gustavo Venegas
Sergio Bustos	Hernán Carusso	Hugo Aguilar
Irineo Núñez	Óscar "Pando" Gómez	Edgardo Emilson Soto Fajardo
Leonardo Isaula	Gustavo Olaíndia	Mario Obulgen
Iván Nolasco	Mariano "Tierno" Ramírez	Francisco Sandoval
Walter Amador	Édgar Fajardo	Édgar Delgado
José Zaldívar	Luis "Bombero" Ramírez	Noé Argueta
Palestino
Dangelo Bautista	Wilmer Centeno	Javier Padilla
Ricardo Pérez	Wilson Castellanos	Cristino Bernárdez
Marvin Mazariegos	Selvin Sánchez	Walter “Gualala” Trejo
Raúl Trejo	Luis Perdomo	Marcos Pitío
Carlos Mathis	Enrique Carías	Carlos Gotay
Carlos González	James Chewitt	Yerco Salinas
Gustavo Cálix	Marvin Morán	Rubén Cantarero
Óscar Hurtarte	Carlos Ellis	Juan Carlos Salinas
Juan Carlos Canchimbo	Juan Ramón Hernández	Mario Guerrero
Israel Bernárdez	Marvin "Mango" Henríquez	Edward Barahona
Danilo "Pollo" Galindo	Osmar Vargas	Iván Elías
Martín Álvarez	Claudio Chasior	Gustavo Steimbach
Evelio Barralaga	Felipe Valerio	Nicole Watson
Jorge García	Henry Enamorado	David Flores
Hudell Thompson	Neptally Romero	Aldo Fuentes
Allan Villegas
Motagua
Diego Martin Vásquez	Ninrod Madina	Hernain Arzu
Reinaldo Clavasquin	Arón Hernandez	Juan Manuel "Gato" Coello
Milton "Jocon" Reyes	Amado "Lobo" Guevara	Juan Carlos Raudales
Roberto Asprilla	Marlon "Pitufo" Hernández	Luis "Chamaquito" Guifarro
Presley Carson Woods	Jairo Manfredo Martinez	Francisco "Pancho Ra" Ramirez
Ariel Leyes	Oscar "Mexicano" Lagos	Ivan Guerrero
Olimpia
Donaldo González	Nerlin Membreño	Favio Ulloa
Samuel Caballero	Alberto Güity	Gregorio Serrano
Jose Luis "Flaco" Pineda	Nahun Espinoza	Dolmo Flores
Silvio Traverso	Denilson Costa de Oliveira	Wilmer Velasquez
Eduardo Arriola Carter	Cesar Henriquez	Nolberto Martinez
Ramon Romero "Romerito"
Platense
Ricardo James	Rony Morales	Anthony "El Caballo de Hierro" Torres
Limber Perez	Marco Antonio Mejía	Jorge Arita Neals
Robel Bernardez	Roberto bernardez	Abel Rodriguez
Julio Cesar "Rambo" D. Leon	José Luis "Runga" Piota	Carlos Da Silva
Juan Manuel Carcamo	Gustavo Fuentes	Hernan Centeno Batiz
Real Maya
Marvin Fonseca	Luis Lagos	Hector Amaya
Leonardo Svagher	Lenin Suárez	Edgar Sierra
David Carcamo	Jose "Flaco" Hernandez	Geovany "Yura" Rochez
Claudio Sanchez	Nelson Rosale	Guillermo Ramirez
Luis Enrique "Gavilan" Calix	Elvis "Chusa" Castellanos	Alberto Guity
Real España
Milton "Chocolate" Flores	Javier Rodríguez	Jaime Ruiz
Luis Lopez Zelaya	Marco Vinicio "Chacal" Ortega	Camilo "Tin Tin" Bonilla Paz
Diego Fernandez	Miguel Fernandez	Edgar Figueroa
César Clother	Marlon Monge	Mario Rodríguez
Norman Martínez	Ricky Denis García	Francis Reyes
Orvin Cabrera	Jorge Zapata	Alexander Díaz
Miguel Angel "Gallo" Mariano	Rodolfo Richardson Smith	S. Alderete
Universidad
Damian Garofalo	Guillermo César Sumich	Troy Andrerson
Miguel Arcangel Guity	Daniel Aquino	Amidanan Lainez
Juan Rosa Lagos	Martin Sirimarco	Hector Leonel Rodriguez
Claudio del Barco	D. Bonilla	Camilo Bonilla Ocampo
Rony Zelaya	Jorge "Avioneta" Martinez	Raul Dolmo
Victoria
Carlos Pronno	Javier Martinez	Raul Martinez Sambula
Renán Cristino Bengoché	Fabricio Pérez	Francisco Antonio Pavón
Hernan Funez	Jose Garcia	Erick Dario Fú
cesar "Nene" Obando	Byron Suazo	Alejandro "Turco" Naif
Persibal Piggot	Mauricio Edgardo Figueroa	Alvaro Izquierdo

Curiosities

On 12 July 1998, the league scheduled a match between Palestino F.C. and Universidad at Estadio Miraflores. The game which started at 14:00 local time, was played at the same time of the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Brazil. The match which ended 2–0 to Palestino, was witnessed by 55 loyal fans, an outstanding record.