The 2022 Liga Panameña de Fútbol or 2022 Liga LPF (known as the Liga LPF Tigo for sponsorship reasons) was the 35th season of the Liga Panameña de Fútbol (LPF), the top-flight football league in Panama , and the third under the management of the Liga Panameña de Fútbol. The season began on 4 February 2022, when the Apertura tournament started, and ended on 12 November 2022 with the Clausura tournament Final.
The season was originally scheduled to start on 21 January 2022,[ 1] but the date was pushed back due to the detection of several COVID-19 cases in the participating clubs.[ 2]
A total of twelve teams competed throughout the entire season, which was divided into two championships: Torneo Apertura and Torneo Clausura , each of them being an independent championship and crowning its own champion.
Same as previous years, the season was divided into two championships: Torneo Apertura and Torneo Clausura. Both Apertura and Clausura were played under the same format which consisted in a Classification stage, where the 12 teams were geographically divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences (6 teams per conference); Play-offs, Semifinals and Final.[ 3]
Within each conference, teams played each other twice on a double round-robin format (home and away). In addition, each team played one game against all the 6 teams in the opposite conference for a total of 16 games per team in the classification stage. Winners of each conference qualified directly to the semi-finals, whilst the second and third placed teams advanced to the play-offs stage.
The Play-offs stage was played on a single-leg format between the second placed team of each conference against the third placed team of the opposite conference, with the second placed teams hosting the matches. Winners of play-offs advanced to semi-finals to play against the first placed team of each conference on a home-and-away two-legged basis. Winners of the semifinals played the final on a single-leg match at a venue and date determined by the LFP, with highest team ranked in the classification stage acting as the "home" team for "administrative purposes.
A total of 12 teams took part in this season; the same ones that played in the previous 2021 season , including San Francisco ,[ 3] which finished in the last place (12th) on the aggregate table of the 2021 season, which meant its relegation to the 2022 Liga Prom season. However, San Francisco was able to stay in the Liga LPF, subject to the payment of a financial penalty, since the champions and runners-up of the 2021 Liga Prom (Alianza FC II and Panamá Oeste ) did not meet the requirements of the Liga Panameña de Fútbol to play in the 2022 Liga LPF.[ 4]
Stadia and locations
edit
Team
Head Coach
Captain
Kit manufacturer
Shirt sponsor(s)
Alianza
Jair Palacios
Kevin Melgar
Keuka
Clinilab Panamá
Árabe Unido
Julio Dely Valdés
Abdiel Macea
Kelme
BetCha.pa, AguAseo, Kendall Motor Oil
Atlético Chiriquí
Dayron Pérez
Miguel Saavedra
Kelme
Herrera
Alberto Valencia
Santiago Cedeño
Strik3r
Varela Hermanos S.A., Betcris, Gran Hotel Azuero, Hertz
Independiente
Franklin Narváez
César Samudio
Fila
Altos De La Pradera
Plaza Amador
Jorge Dely Valdés
Ricardo Buitrago
Puma
Sportium, SPARK
Potros del Este
Daniel Blanco
Edgar Góndola
Luanvi
UniWorld Air Cargo
San Francisco
Gary Stempel
Francisco Palacios
Strik3r
Betcha.pa
Sporting San Miguelito
Felipe Borowsky
Adolfo Machado
Spirits
Teletón 20-30
Tauro
Francisco Perlo
Edwin Aguilar
Patrick
Betcha.pa, Universidad del Istmo, KFC
Universitario
Julio Infante
Manuel Torres
FB Sports
Latin University of Panama
Veraguas United
Villi Trebino
Rolando Algandona
Strik3r
Betcris, Super Carnes, La Parmigiana
Notes
^ Juan Carlos Cubilla was the caretaker manager for the Torneo Apertura 3rd round match against Atlético Chiriquí.[ 6]
^ a b Caretaker manager.
^ Manuel Valencia was the caretaker manager for the Torneo Clausura 5th round match against Árabe Unido.[ 42]
^ Miguel Corral was the caretaker manager for the Torneo Clausura 11th and 12th round match against Árabe Unido and Atlético Chiriquí.[ 47]
The Torneo Apertura began on 4 February and ended on 28 May with the final.
Classification stage
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Source: FPF
Source: FPF
Source:
Soccerway Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Alianza won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the final.
Sporting San Miguelito won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the final.
Torneo Apertura 2022 winners:
Alianza 1st title
Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name.
The Torneo Clausura began on 22 July and ended on 12 November with the final.
Classification stage
edit
Source: FPF
Source: FPF
Source:
Soccerway Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Independiente won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the final.
Universitario won 1–0 on aggregate and advanced to the final.
Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name.
^ "¡Oficial! El Torneo Apertura 2022 LPF TIGO arranca el 21 de enero" . www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 7 January 2022.
^ "La Liga Panameña de Fútbol decide aplazar el inicio del Torneo Apertura 2022" . www.tvn-2.com (in Spanish). TVN . 12 January 2022.
^ a b "REGLAMENTO COMPETENCIA LPF TEMPORADA - 2022" (PDF) . lpf.com.pa (in Spanish). Liga Panameña de Fútbol. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023 .
^ Ortega, Isaac Abel (7 December 2021). "Existen los milagros" . elsiglo.com.pa/ (in Spanish). El Siglo .
^ Liga Panameña de Fútbol [@LPFpanama] (2 February 2022). "¡SEDES OFICIALES!" (Tweet ) (in Spanish) – via Twitter .
^ "El director técnico del San Francisco, Gonzalo Soto no estará en el banquillo en la jornada 3 de la LPF" [San Francisco head coach Gonzalo Soto will not be on the bench for matchday 3 of the LPF.]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 19 January 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ San Francisco F.C. [@sanfrafc_pa] (19 January 2022). "Comunicado Oficial" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ "LPF: Gonzalo Soto regresa al San Francisco FC" [LPF: Gonzalo Soto returns to San Francisco FC]. www.tvn-2.com (in Spanish). TVN . 17 February 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Sporting San Miguelito [@sportingsmfc] (22 November 2021). "Cambio en la Dirección Técnica" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ Cárdenas, Luis (23 November 2021). "Saúl Maldonado no continuará en Sporting San Miguelito para la próxima temporada" [Saúl Maldonado will not continue with Sporting San Miguelito for next season] (in Spanish). Balonazos.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "OFICIAL. Felipe Borowsky es el nuevo entrenador del Sporting" [OFFICIAL. Felipe Borowsky is Sporting's new coach]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 26 November 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "EL VERAGUAS CD SE DESINTEGRA LUEGO DE SER PROTAGONISTA EN LA LPF" [Veraguas CD disintegrates after being a protagonist in the LPF] (in Spanish). JM Deportes. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Historia de Veraguas United" [History of Veraguas United] (in Spanish). Veraguas United FC. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Veraguas United FC, el nuevo equipo de la provincia de Urracá en la LPF" [Veraguas United FC, the new team from the province of Urracá in the LPF] (in Spanish). La Gaceta de Panamá . 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ "OFICIAL. Francisco Perlo deja de ser entrenador del CAI" [OFFICIAL. Francisco Perlo steps down as coach of CAI] (in Spanish). RPC . 9 December 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Ortega, Isaac Abel (10 December 2021). "Francisco Perlo se despide del Club Atlético Independiente" [Francisco Perlo bids farewell to Club Atlético Independiente] (in Spanish). El Siglo . Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "LPF: CAI anuncia a Iván Guerra como nuevo entrenador" [LPF: CAI announces Iván Guerra as new coach] (in Spanish). RPC . 15 December 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Cárdenas, Luis (18 December 2021). "El entrenador venezolano Ivan Guerra será el nuevo Director Técnico del CAI en Panamá" [Venezuelan coach Iván Guerra will be the new head coach of CAI in Panama] (in Spanish). Balonazos.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Club Deportivo Árabe Unido [@ArabeUnido_] (22 December 2021). "Nuestro equipo anuncia oficialmente las salidas del DT Sergio "Checho" Angulo y del PF Andrés Mosquera" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ Martínez, Álvaro (19 November 2021). "Sergio Angulo no dirigirá a Árabe Unido en la última fecha" [Sergio Angulo will not coach Árabe Unido on the last day of the season] (in Spanish). Cable Onda Sports. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ Martínez, Álvaro (21 November 2021). "Nos despedimos de la mejor manera" [We say goodbye in the best way.] (in Spanish). Club Deportivo Árabe Unido. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ Vidal, Edgardo (22 December 2021). "Christmas bombshell. Julio Dely Valdés to coach Árabe Unido de Colón" [Christmas bombshell. Julio Dely Valdés to coach Árabe Unido from Colón] (in Spanish). Mi Diario . Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ "Tauro FC de Panamá anunció que el DT venezolano Enrique García no los seguirá dirigiendo" [Tauro FC from Panama announced that Venezuelan coach Enrique García will not continue to coach them] (in Spanish). Balonazos.com. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "LPF: Rolando Palma regresa al Tauro FC como entrenador" [LPF: Rolando Palma returns to Tauro FC as head coach]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 30 December 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ a b "Stempel no aguantó más: no le pagaban" [Stempel couldn't take it anymore: he wasn't getting paid] (in Spanish). Metro Libre . 17 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "Gary Stempel habla de su salida por falta de pagos en Universitario" [Gary Stempel talks about his departure due to lack of payments at Universitario]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 17 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ " 'Chalate' Anthony Torres sale de la dirección técnica del Veraguas United" ['Chalate' Anthony Torres leaves the technical direction of Veraguas United] (in Spanish). TVN . 21 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ "Daniel Lanata, de Tacuary al fútbol panameño" [Daniel Lanata, from Tacuary to Panamanian football]. versus.lanacion.com.py (in Spanish). La Nación . 22 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ Veraguas United F.C. [@Veraguas_United] (10 July 2022). "¡NUESTRA PLANTILLA OFICIAL CLAUSURA 2022!" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ "La particular liga donde Héctor Blanco continuará su carrera como DT" [The particular league where Héctor Blanco will continue his career as manager]. versus.lanacion.com.py (in Spanish). La Nación. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ Vera, Ángel (19 May 2022). "El entrenador Iván Guerra no continuará al mando del CAI en la Liga de Panamá" [Coach Iván Guerra will not continue at the helm of CAI in the Panamanian League] (in Spanish). Balonazos.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b Martínez, Álvaro (21 May 2022). "Infante, Blanco y Guerra son agentes libres" [Infante, Blanco and Guerra are free agents] (in Spanish). Cable Onda Sports. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Independiente de La Chorrera [@CAIPanama] (23 May 2022). "El técnico chorrerano Franklin Narváez será el encargado de dirigir nuestro equipo profesional" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ "LPF: Herrera FC y CAI anuncian nuevos entrenadores" [LPF: Herrera FC and CAI announce new coaches]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 23 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Herrera F.C. [@herrerafc_] (20 May 2022). "¡Gracias Julio Infante! Queremos anunciar a todos nuestros fanáticos y prensa en general, la salida del D.T. Julio Infante" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ "LPF: Julio Infante deja de ser entrenador de Herrera FC" [LPF: Julio Infante steps down as coach of Herrera FC]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 20 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ "Herrera FC anuncia a su nuevo entrenador, el español Emmanuel Calleja" [Herrera FC announces its new coach, Spaniard Emmanuel Calleja]. www.diaadia.com.pa (in Spanish). Día a Día. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "JULIO INFANTE TIENE NUEVO EQUIPO EN LA LPF" [Julio Infante has a new team in the LPF]. jmdeportes.com (in Spanish). JM Deportes. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Atlético Chiriquí [@Atl_chiriqui] (18 July 2022). "Queremos darle la bienvenida a nuestro nuevo Director Técnico: Dayron Perez" (Tweet ) (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023 – via Twitter .
^ "LPF: Dayron Pérez se apunta como nuevo entrenador del Atlético Chiriquí" [LPF: Dayron Perez signs on as new coach of Atletico Chiriqui]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 18 July 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ "Tauro FC destituye al técnico Rolando Palma" [Tauro FC dismisses coach Rolando Palma]. www.tvn-2.com (in Spanish). TVN . 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Martínez, Álvaro (14 August 2022). "Tauro FC gana su primer juego con gol de un canterano al 94' " [Tauro FC wins its first game with a homegrown player's goal at 94']. www.cospanama.com (in Spanish). Cable Onda Sports. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "Francisco Perlo vuelve a Panamá para dirigir al Tauro FC" [Francisco Perlo returns to Panama to coach Tauro FC]. www.tvn-2.com (in Spanish). TVN . 13 August 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Vidal, Edgardo (29 August 2022). "San Francisco pierde ante Alianza FC y despide al técnico Gonzalo Soto en cierre de la J7" [San Francisco loses to Alianza FC and fires coach Gonzalo Soto at the end of MD7] (in Spanish). Mi Diario . Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "LPF: Gary Stempel regresa como DT del San Francisco FC" [LPF: Gary Stempel returns as San Francisco FC Head Coach]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 29 August 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "LPF: Veraguas United anunció la salida de miembros de su cuerpo técnico" [LPF: Veraguas United announced the departure of its technical staff] (in Spanish). TVN . 20 September 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023 .
^ a b "LPF: Herrera FC destituye a Emmanuel Calleja" [LPF: Herrera FC dismisses Emmanuel Calleja]. www.rpctv.com (in Spanish). RPC . 21 September 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Gonzalez Pereira, Jean Carlos (30 September 2022). "Herrera FC hace oficial la llegada de su nuevo director técnico tras la salida de Calleja" [Herrera FC makes official the arrival of its new head coach following the departure of Calleja] (in Spanish). Fútbol Centroamérica. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ Cárdenas, Luis (1 October 2022). "El entrenador Alberto Nino Valencia vuelve a dirigir en Panamá con Herrera FC" [Coach Alberto Nino Valencia returns to coaching in Panama with Herrera FC] (in Spanish). Balonazos.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .