The 2017–18 Honduran Liga Nacional season was the 43rd Honduran Liga Nacional edition since its establishment in 1965. For this season, the system format remained the same as the previous season. The tournament ran from 19 July 2008 to 24 May 2009. The season was divided into two halves (Apertura and Clausura), each crowning one champion. C.D. Marathón and Club Deportivo Olimpia won one tournament each and qualified to the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League. Additionally, Real C.D. España also qualified with the best non-champion record as Belizean teams failed the CONCACAF stadium requirements.[1]
In the 2007–08 season, C.D. Platense suffered great adversity avoiding relegation in their last match. Their manager Nahúm Espinoza is the mastermind for which the 'dogfish' have changed their form of play and have transformed into a dangerous team aiming for great things. A key benchmarks for Platense is midfielder Carlos Mejía, with his talent will try to carry the team on a good path and hopefully a fight for the title. Platense has not fallen behind in signing new players for this tournament. New arrivals include Edilson Pereira, who played previously with Deportes Savio, Willian Veloso, who has shown in preseason matches to be a prominent goalscorer, and Evandro Ferreira, with his speed will try to unbalance the opposing defenses. To add to this is the experience of Walter López, who will be in charge of creating plays and give dynamism to the goalkeepers.
Despite C.D. Victoria's manager Javier Padilla insisting the main objective is save their position, the fans think the opposite because they know they have a good lineup to aspire for more. The fans think of nothing more than to lift another trophy, considering that Victoria maintains the fundamental parts of the team from the previous tournaments. They have reinforced the squad with talented and nationally experienced players like José Pineda, Juan Cárcamo, and Carlos Discua. They also signed the Uruguayans Richard Pérez and Mauricio Webber and have promoted from their reserves forwards Erick Ayala and Víctor Maldonado. With their current squad, Victoria can reach at the least the playoff round to satisfy their fans, who expected something more dignified in the previous tournament but finished in sixth place despite the strong investment from their patroness. The team had a good preseason and aims to bring honor to their name.
Recently promoted C.D. Real Juventud have prepared for one goal: to maintain the position in the league. Since their establishment on 30 May 30 1965, the team never had the opportunity to be able to ascend and play in the Liga Nacional but they now find the opportunity to assemble their own history. Their manager Emilio Umanzor have stated in addition to staying in the league, the team will try to classify as one of the best four in the league and not playing a relegation battle like the majority of the sporting people and press have insisted. Real Juventud arrives with great expectations for the Apertura tournament. Real Juventud will fall upon the success of their Liga de Ascenso campaign and aim for decent position.
A team with the squad and budget of Deportes Savio obviously won't compete for the title. This does not stop them from causing harm to other clubs with greater aspirations. They will be playing their home matches on an unfamiliar field: Estadio Roberto Martínez Ávila in Siguatepeque, since their stadium is being remodeled. A key loss for the team is the Brazilian Edilson Pereira who signed with Platense. On the other hand, important arrivals include goalie Hugo Caballero, the midfielders Marco Mejía and Elmer Marín, and forward Édgar Núñez. Deportes Savio will seek to grab points early on to avoid suffering like the previous tournament and with that seek, maybe not the playoff rounds, but their permanency in the league.
C.D.S. Vida will participate in the tournament with a modest team filled with prospects that intend to shine in the league. The directive administration will wage at their inferior categories that they intend to remain in the league. The challenges their manager Alberto Romero faces are difficult because he must erase the frustration from the fans and support the team's president character, who at the moment of saying things says it first and then thinks. The team president and manager have clashed before with Romero threatening to quit the team due to some unilateral decision but soon was resolved. Vida had a good preseason with many matches in the United States and Guatemala.
Source: RSSSF Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Match details
Round 1
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
26 July 2008
Marathon
2:1
Platense
2116
26 July 2008
Victoria
0:4
Motagua
3355
27 July 2008
Deportes Savio
0:1
Real Espana
1500
27 July 2008
Real Juventud
0:1
Vida
1920
27 July 2008
Olimpia
0:0
Hispano
2167
Round 2
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
30 July 2008
Platense
2:1
Victoria
-
30 July 2008
Marathón
1:0
Real Juventud
2269
30 July 2008
Motagua
2:1
Hispano
1363
30 July 2008
Vida
2:3
Real Espana
2287
31 July 2008
Deportes Savio
0:1
Olimpia
2,316
Round 3
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
August 2, 2008
Real España
2:2
Marathón
8423
August 2, 2008
Hispano
2:0
Vida
953
August 2, 2008
Victoria
1:0
Deportes Savio
875
August 2, 2008
Platense
2:2
Olimpia
3589
August 2, 2008
Real Juventud
1:1
Motagua
3305
Round 4
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
August 6, 2008
Platense
1:1
Deportes Savio
1594
August 6, 2008
Victoria
1:1
Olimpia
2852
August 6, 2008
Marathón
1:1
Vida
1141
August 6, 2008
Hispano
2:0
Real Juventud
1208
August 6, 2008
Motagua
0:0
Real Espana
2090
Round 5
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
9 August 2008
Deportes Savio
2:1
Hispano
440
9 August 2008
Olimpia
0:1
Marathon
1487
9 August 2008
Vida
1:1
Motagua
2709
9 August 2008
Real Espana
4:0
Platense
2168
9 August 2008
Real Juventud
2:0
Victoria
1223
Round 6
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
16 August 2008
Deportes Savio
2:1
Marathon
2441
16 August 2008
Hispano
5:3
Victoria
1186
16 August 2008
Vida
1:1
Platense
1,729
16 August 2008
Real Espana
3:1
Real Juventud
3188
11 September 2008
Motagua
2:0
Olimpia
4714
Round 7
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
23 August 2008
Marathón
4:0
Motagua
2187
23 August 2008
Victoria
1:0
Vida
4202
24 August 2008
Platense
2:2
Hispano
1272
24 August 2008
Olimpia
2:1
Real Espana
3686
24 August 2008
Real Juventud
0:3
Deportes Savio
1165
Round 8
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
30 August 2008
Real Espana
2:2
Hispano
2,016
30 August 2008
Victoria
2:2
Marathon
1,900
30 August 2008
Deportes Savio
1:1
Vida
134
30 August 2008
Motagua
1:0
Platense
916
30 August 2008
Real Juventud
0:0
Olimpia
2,711
Round 9
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
7 September 2008
Platense
2:1
Real Juventud
1,241
7 September 2008
Real Espana
1:1
Victoria
1,858
7 September 2008
Vida
0:1
Olimpia
2,780
7 September 2008
Hispano
1:2
Marathon
1,102
7 September 2008
Motagua
0:2
Deportes Savio
1,500
Round 10
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
13 September 2008
Real Espana
2:0
Deportes Savio
2114
13 September 2008
Vida
1:2
Real Juventud
831
14 September 2008
Hispano
3:1
Olimpia
1881
14 September 2008
Motagua
0:4
Victoria
1330
14 September 2008
Platense
1:2
Marathon
2584
Round 11
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
20 September 2008
Victoria
1:2
Platense
1302
20 September 2008
Real España
2:0
Vida
1857
21 September 2008
Hispano
1:3
Motagua
2248
21 September 2008
Real Juventud
0:1
Marathón
1709
21 September 2008
Olimpia
2:0
Deportes Savio
1536
Round 12
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
27 September 2008
Marathon
0:2
Real Espana
9335
27 September 2008
Vida
1:1
Hispano
507
27 September 2008
Platense
1:2
Olimpia
3518
27 September 2008
Deportes Savio
3:1
Victoria
135
27 September 2008
Motagua
2:1
Real Juventud
1134
Round 13
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
4 October 2008
Vida
1:3
Marathón
811
4 October 2008
Real España
3:2
Motagua
5436
5 October 2008
Deportes Savio
2:1
Platense
2204
5 October 2008
Real Juventud
3:1
Hispano
535
5 October 2008
Olimpia
2:1
Victoria
1107
Round 14
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
18 October 2008
Marathon
1:0
Olimpia
6650
18 October 2008
Victoria
1:0
Real Juventud
369
19 October 2008
Motagua
1:0
Vida
1675
19 October 2008
Platense
0:1
Real Espana
2356
19 October 2008
Hispano
2:1
Deportes Savio
225
Round 15
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
25 October 2008
Marathón
2:2
Deportes Savio
1,369
25 October 2008
Victoria
1:2
Hispano
91
26 October 2008
Olimpia
0:2
Motagua
10,760
26 October 2008
Platense
2:0
Vida
449
26 October 2008
Real Juventud
0:1
Real Espana
1,480
Round 16
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
1 November 2008
Real Espana
2:2
Olimpia
6521
1 November 2008
Vida
0:1
Victoria
1643
1 November 2008
Hispano
1:2
Platense
1189
1 November 2008
Motagua
2:0
Marathon
4836
1 November 2008
Deportes Savio
2:1
Real Juventud
1825
Round 17
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
16 November 2008
Hispano
2:3
Real Espana
1059
16 November 2008
Platense
1:0
Motagua
1326
16 November 2008
Vida
0:0
Deportes Savio
390
16 November 2008
Marathon
1:1
Victoria
521
16 November 2008
Olimpia
1:0
Real Juventud
2952
Round 18
Date
Home
Score
Away
Attendance
23 November 2008
Victoria
1:0
Real España
317
23 November 2008
Marathon
0:2
Hispano
529
23 November 2008
Real Juventud
1:1
Platense
275
23 November 2008
Olimpia
2:0
Vida
2614
23 November 2008
Deportes Savio
2:1
Motagua
1920
On 12 August, Real España obtained 2 additional points and Deportes Savio had 1 deducted for fielding an ineligible player in round 1; the goal records of both clubs remain unchanged.
Máximo Arzú, Johnny Arce, Tony Velasquez, Carlos Blandón, Edward Mejía, Pablo Genovese, Javier Portillo, Rubén Matamoros, David Alvarez, Leonardo Isaula
Henry Jiménez, Héctor Castro, Sergio Diduch, Rigoberto Padilla, Fredy Benítez, Marcelo Segales, Luis López, Marcelo López, Edilson Aguilar, Milton Ruiz
Marathon
Juan Angel Obelar, Víctor Coello, Kelvin Castillo
Dennis Ferrera, Pastor Martínez, Juan Carlos García, Astor Henríquez, Arnold Solórzano, Milton Palacios, Erick Norales, Mauricio Sabillón, Mario Beata,
Luis Santamaría
Oscar Bonilla, Orvin Paz, Reinieri Mayorquín, Marvin Chávez, Mario Berríos, Mariano Acevedo, Pompilio Mejía, Franco Sosa, Carlos Oliva, Oscar Galeas
Milton Núñez, Jerry Palacios, Saúl Martínez, Andy Furtado, José Güity, Kurt Cárcamo, Carlos Will Mejía
Motagua
Ricardo Canales, Donaldo Morales, Rony García
Víctor Bernárdez, Samir García, Guillermo Díaz, Nilberto Da Silva, Roy Posas, David Molina, Steven Morris, Emilson Cruz, Aaron Bardales, Oscar Bernárdez
Jorge Claros, Fernando Castillo, Miguel Castillo, Luis Guzmán, Víctor Mena, Rubén Rivera, José Rivera, Ronald Martínez, Luis Rodas
Oscar Torlacoff, Jocimar, Richard Lloyd, Kevin Osorio, José Burgos, Shannon Welcome
Olimpia
Noel Valladares, Donis Escober, Gustavo Pineda
Jaime Rosales, Sergio Mendoza, Francisco Arévalo, Nahún Avila, Rony Morales, Yobani Avila, Fabio de Souza, Nahún Güity, Francisco López
Walter Hernández, Irvin Reyna, Samir Arzú, Wilfredo Barahona, Jesús Navas, Ramón Núñez, Danilo Turcios, Néstor Silva, Johnny Calderón
Wilmer Velásquez, Ramiro Bruschi, Allan Júnior, Erick Andino, Luis Garrido
Platense
Júnior Morales, Sandro Cárcamo
Odis Borjas, David Meza, Gabriel Hernández, Luis Urbina, Quiarol Arzú, Erick Zepeda, Osman Chávez, Luis Pérez, Manuel Doño, Francisco Díaz, Fredy Escobar
Pedro Domínguez, Adán Ramírez, Bany Lozano, Hendry Córdova, Irbin Guerrero, Misael Ruiz, Odis Borjas, Walter López, Edilson Pereira, Willian Veloso
Marcelo Dos Santos, Evandro Ferreira, Alexander Aguilar
Real España
Marcelo Macías, Orlin Vallecillo, Tomás Meléndez
Elder Valladares, Eric Vallecillo, Marlon Peña, Carlos Palacios, Maynor Martínez, Nery Medina, Andrés Morales, César Oseguera, Jeremy Hernández
Mario Rodríguez, Carlos Dias, Elkin González, Jorge Zaldívar, Alex Andino, Mario Martínez, Fairon Barahona, Fernando Mercado, Melvin Valladares, Eder Delgado, Dany Reyes
Carlos Pavón, Edmilson Da Silva, Everaldo Ferreira, Allan Lalín, Ramón Castillo, Héctor Flores, Fredy Sosa
Real Juventud
Adalid Puerto, José Orlando Rivera, José Luis Rosales, Elmer Canales
Júnior Turcios, Luis Castro, Kevin Sambulá, César Anariba, Rony Paz, Carlos Navarro, Juan Carlos Róchez, Lucio Argueta, Heber Argueta, Marlon Soto
David Rocha, David Meléndez, Luis Lagos, Juan Tablada, Gerson Martínez, Ronald Del Cid, Jorge Fúnez, Jair Aragón, Denovan Morales, Marcelo Monteiro, Rolando Figueroa, Carlos Páez, Carlos Castellanos
Randy Diamond, Charles Córdoba, Angel Rodríguez, Luciano Valerio, Julio Canales, Francisco Aguilar
Victoria
John Bodden, Diego Vásquez, Kenneth Zapata
Orleans Fúnez, Ninrol Medina, Júnior Izaguirre, Pablo Montes, Mario Gómez, Wilson Güity, Wilmer Crisanto, Cristian Batiz, Henry Bermúdez
Juan Raudales, Carlos Morán, Richard Pérez, Mauricio Webber, José L. Pineda, Odair Bernárdez, Dictmar Hernández, Pedro Fernández, David A. Doño
Juan Cárcamo, Carlos Discua, Johnny Avila, Leonel Maldonado, Erick Ayala
Vida
Williams Negrete, Obed Enamorado, Oscar Banegas
Angel Hill, Justo Norales, Brayan Beckeles, Carlos Arbizú, Gabriel Casas, Miguel Martínez, Arturo Avila, Walter Williams
Arnold Peralta, Borghi Arbizú, Carlos Salinas, Carlos Solórzano, Elvin López, Juan Pérez, Julio Ocampo, Orlin Peralta, Leslie Orozco
Nicolás Cardozo, Armando Mena, Román Castillo, Oscar Vargas, Jerry Bengton, Darian Alvarez, Darin Quin Lambert
^ abThe match between Platense and Hispano from Round 18 was not played due to lack of interest.
On 2 May, Honduras was awarded a 3rd spot in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League due to lack of adequate stadia in Belize. The 3rd spot would go to the short tournament runner-up with the highest overall season points total. Because of Real C.D. Espana's overall season point total of 68 being highest in the league, they clinch a spot in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League. Already a runner-up from Apertura 2008, it is guaranteed that the Clausura 2009 runner-up would not have a higher overall season point total than Real Espana.
Marathon is classified as HON1 for the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League, due to their tiebreaker over Olimpia (higher goal differential since both teams had a total of 66 points). Olimpia gets HON2. Real Espana gets HON3, being the only runner-up to short tournaments in the 2008–2009 Honduran National Football League season.