# 2018–19 Liga Nacional de Guatemala

The 2018–19 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala season was the 21st season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began in July 2018 and ended in May 2019.

## Team information

A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 10 sides from the 2017–18 Liga Nacional and 2 promoted from the 2017–18 Primera División.
Deportivo Marquense and C.D. Suchitepéquez were relegated to 2018–19 Primera División the previous season.
The relegated team was replaced by the 2017–18 Primera División winners. Chiantla and Deportivo Iztapa.

### Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Primera División de Ascenso as of June 2018.
* Champions: Chiantla and Deportivo Iztapa
Relegated to Primera División de Ascenso as of June 2018.
* Last Place: Deportivo Marquense and C.D. Suchitepéquez

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Chairman | Head Coach | Captain | Kitmaker | Shirt Sponsors |
| Antigua GFC | Víctor Hugo García | Juan Antonio Torres | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Chiantla | Damián Mérida | Alberto Salguero | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Coban Imperial | Jimmy Morales | Fabricio Benitez | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Comunicaciones | Pedro Portilla | William Coito Olivera | TBD | Kappa | Todo en Salud, Gatorade |
| Guastatoya | Léster Rodríguez | Amarini Villatoro | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Iztapa | Mario Mejía | Francisco Melgar | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Malacateco | Carlos Gutiérrez | Ronald Gómez | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| CSD Municipal | Gerardo Villa | Horacio Cordero | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Petapa | Luis Reyes | Norman Martin | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Sanarate | Ángel Pantaleón | Ariel Sena | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |
| Siquinalá | Juan Pablo Godíne | Otto Rodríguez | | Kelme | TBD |
| Xelajú MC | Francisco Santos | Walter Horacio González | TBD | TBD | Tigo, TBD |

## Managerial changes
### Beginning of the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Petapa | Ramiro Cepeda | Resigned | May 2018 | Rafael Loredo | May 2018 | th (Clausura 2018) |
| Xelaju | Walter Claveri | Resigned to become coach of the national team | July 2018 | Ramiro Cepeda | July 2018 | th (Clausura 2018) |

### During the Apertura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Chiantla | Marvin Hernández | Sacked | August 2018 | Alberto Salguero | September 2018 | 12th (Apertura 2018) |
| Municipal | Hernan Medford | Resigned | September 2018 | Horacio Cordero | September 2018 | th (Apertura 2018) |
| Siquinalá | Daniel Berta | TBD | October 2018 | Otto Rodríguez | October 2018 | th (Apertura 2018) |
| Sanarate | Pablo Centrone | TBD | October 2018 | Julián Trujillo | October 2018 | th (Apertura 2018) |

### Between Apertura and Clausura seasons

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Antigua GFC | Mauricio Tapia | Contract finished | December 2018 | Juan Antonio Torres | January 2019 | Th (Apertura 2018) |

### During the Clausura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Sanarate | Héctor Julian Trujillo | Sacked | February 2019 | Ariel Sena | February 2019 | th (Clausura 2019) |
| Xelaju | Ramiro Cepeda | Sacked | March 2019 | Walter Horacio González | March 2019 | 8th (Clausura 2019) |
| Petapa | Rafael Loredo | Sacked | March 2019 | Norman Martin | March 2019 | 12th (Clausura 2019) |

## Apertura
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Guastatoya | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 34 | 11 | +23 | 44 | Advance to Playoffs (Semifinals) |
| 2 | Xelajú | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 40 | Advance to Playoffs (Semifinals) |
| 3 | Comunicaciones | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 16 | +12 | 38 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 4 | Malacateco | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 38 | 32 | +6 | 38 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 5 | Cobán Imperial | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 20 | +8 | 36 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 6 | Antigua GFC | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 34 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 7 | Siquinalá | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 31 | 32 | −1 | 30 | |
| 8 | Municipal | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 26 | 30 | −4 | 28 | |
| 9 | Iztapa | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 25 | |
| 10 | Sanarate | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 35 | −14 | 19 | |
| 11 | Petapa | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 31 | −13 | 16 | |
| 12 | Chiantla | 22 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 38 | −23 | 11 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ANT | CHI | COB | COM | GUA | IZT | MAL | MUN | PET | SAN | SIQ | XEL |
| Antigua GFC | | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Chiantla | 1–2 | | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Cobán Imperial | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Comunicaciones | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 |
| Guastatoya | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Iztapa | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Malacateco | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | | 5–4 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 |
| Municipal | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–4 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 |
| Petapa | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Sanarate | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | | 2–0 | 0–1 |
| Siquinalá | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–3 | | 2–2 |
| Xelajú | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | |

### Playoffs

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | | | 1 | Guastatoya | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 4 | Malacateco | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Cobán Imperial | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 5 | Cobán Imperial | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | 1 | Guastatoya | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Comunicaciones | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| | | | | | 2 | Xelajú | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 3 | Comunicaciones | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Comunicaciones | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | |
| 6 | Antigua GFC | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Final
##### Second leg
## Clausura
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Antigua GFC | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 36 | 20 | +16 | 41 | Advance to Playoffs (Semifinals) |
| 2 | Cobán Imperial | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 35 | 25 | +10 | 40 | Advance to Playoffs (Semifinals) |
| 3 | Comunicaciones | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 32 | 14 | +18 | 39 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 4 | Municipal | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 22 | +15 | 36 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 5 | Malacateco | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 36 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 6 | Guastatoya | 22 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 35 | Advance to Playoffs (Quarterfinals) |
| 7 | Chiantla | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 25 | −4 | 30 | |
| 8 | Xelajú | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 27 | 25 | +2 | 29 | |
| 9 | Siquinalá | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 25 | −2 | 26 | |
| 10 | Iztapa | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 28 | −7 | 25 | |
| 11 | Sanarate | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 38 | −16 | 23 | |
| 12 | Petapa | 22 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 12 | 59 | −47 | 7 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ANT | CHI | COB | COM | GUA | IZT | MAL | MUN | PET | SAN | SIQ | XEL |
| Antigua GFC | | 2–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Chiantla | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–6 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Cobán Imperial | 2–3 | 3–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Comunicaciones | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| Guastatoya | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Iztapa | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Malacateco | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Municipal | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 6–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Petapa | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
| Sanarate | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Siquinalá | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 0–1 | | 2–1 |
| Xelajú | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |

### Playoffs

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | | | 1 | Antigua GFC | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 3 | Comunicaciones | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | Guastatoya | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 6 | Guastatoya | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | Antigua GFC | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Malacateco | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | | | 2 | Cobán Imperial | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | Municipal | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | Malacateco | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | |
| 5 | Malacateco | 0 | 3 | 3 (a) | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Quarterfinals
##### Second legs

Guastatoya advances 2–1 on aggregate.
3–3 on aggregate. Malacateco advances 3–0 on away goals.

#### Semifinals
##### Second legs

Antigua GFC advances 2-1 on aggregate.
Malacateco advances 2–3 on aggregate.

#### Final
##### Second leg
## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Guastatoya (Q) | 44 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 61 | 27 | +34 | 79 | CONCACAF League round of 16 |
| 2 | Comunicaciones (Q) | 44 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 60 | 30 | +30 | 77 | CONCACAF League preliminary round |
| 3 | Cobán Imperial | 44 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 76 | |
| 4 | Antigua GFC (Q) | 44 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 60 | 44 | +16 | 75 | CONCACAF League preliminary round |
| 5 | Malacateco | 44 | 21 | 11 | 12 | 62 | 52 | +10 | 74 | |
| 6 | Xelajú | 44 | 19 | 12 | 13 | 55 | 42 | +13 | 69 | |
| 7 | Municipal | 44 | 18 | 10 | 16 | 63 | 52 | +11 | 64 | |
| 8 | Siquinalá | 44 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 54 | 57 | −3 | 56 | |
| 9 | Iztapa | 44 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 50 | |
| 10 | Sanarate | 44 | 11 | 9 | 24 | 43 | 73 | −30 | 42 | |
| 11 | Chiantla (R) | 44 | 10 | 11 | 23 | 36 | 63 | −27 | 41 | Relegated to Primera División de Ascenso |
| 12 | Petapa (R) | 44 | 5 | 8 | 31 | 30 | 90 | −60 | 23 | Relegated to Primera División de Ascenso |
* ↑ As Apertura champions (GUA1)
* ↑ As runners-up with better aggregate record (GUA3)
* ↑ As Clausura champions (GUA2)

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in 2018-2019 season. The following players:
* have played at least one apertura game for the respective club.
* have not been capped for the Guatemala national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace. Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine
A new rule was introduced a few season ago, that clubs can only have five foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or player/s is released.
* Antigua GFC
* Agustin Herrera
* Alejandro Diaz
* Jose Mena
* Adrián De Lemos
* Anllel Porras
* Rafael Lezcano
* Juan David Osorio
* Pablo Mingorance
* Chiantla
* Luis Omar Hernández
* Liborio Vicente Sánchez
* Sergio Alejandro Blancas Martínez
* José Abraham Alpuche
* Juan Carlos Meza
* Diego Bartolota
* Daniel Guzmán Miranda
* Coban Imperial
* Álvaro García
* Adrián Elois Leites
* Janderson Pereira
* Josue Flores
* Victor Guay
* Jonathan Charquero
* Jorge Luis Sotomayor
* Orlando Moreira
* CSD Comunicaciones
* Javier Irazún
* Michael Umaña
* Alexander Larin
* Maximiliano Lombardi
* Darío Carreño
* Cristian Alexis Hernández
* Guastatoya
* Isaac Acuña
* Omar Dominguez
* Emmanuel Alejandro Tapia
* Jose Coreno
* Aaron Navarro
* Jose Sanchez
* Jorge Ignacio Gatgens
* José Calderón
* Deportivo Iztapa
* Rafael Moreira Rafinha
* Fredy Marques
* Luis Alfonso Páez
* Raúl Nava López
* Ramiro Rocca
* Lester Blanco
* Deportivo Malacateco
* Víctor Bolivar
* Gabriel Leiva
* Kenny Cunningham
* Luis Ángel Landín
* Willinton Techera x
* CSD Municipal
* Andrey Anthony Francis
* Irving Esteban Calderón
* Wálter Aníbal Acevedo
* Jonathan Hansen
* Omar Salazar
* Matias Malvino
* Othoniel Arce
* Luis Angel Ladin
* Orlando Moreira
* Juan Barrera
* Deportivo Petapa
* Raúl Calderón
* Yeltsin Car
* Sanarate
* Juan Lovato
* Cristian Alexis Hernández
* Juan Manuel Lazaneo
* Fabián Castillo
* Lucas Emanuel Acosta
* Cristian Daniel Taborda
* Víctor Bolivar
* Jorge Zaldivar
* Jonathan Posas
* William Zapata
* Juan Carlos Silva
* Siquinalá
* Quiarol Arzu
* Cesar García
* Jean Andrés Scott Hernández
* Othoniel Arce
* Verny Scott
* Diego Sanchez Corrales
* Luis Gerardo Arroyo
* Julio Andrés Valdez
* Sergio Alejandro Blancas
* Christopher Solano
* Club Xelajú MC
* Carlos Kamiani
* Bernardo Long
* Álvaro Aguilar
* César Morales
* Juan Yax
* Dario Ferrera
* Álvaro García
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)