# 2002–03 Honduran Liga Nacional

The 2002–03 season in the Honduran Liga Nacional was the 37th edition since the intervention of the professional league in Honduran football. The season was divided into two halves (Apertura and Clausura) which ran from August 2002 to June 2003.

## 2002–03 teams

* Honduras Salzburg (El Progreso) (promoted)
* Marathón (San Pedro Sula)
* Motagua (Tegucigalpa)
* Olimpia (Tegucigalpa)
* Platense (Tegucigalpa)
* Real España (San Pedro Sula)
* Real Maya / Real Patepluma (Comayagua)
* Universidad (Tegucigalpa)
* Victoria (La Ceiba)
* Vida (La Ceiba)
* Real Maya changed its name to Real Patepluma for the Clausura tournament and moved to Santa Bárbara.

## Apertura

The Apertura tournament lasted from August to December 2002, C.D. Olimpia defeated C.D. Platense in the Final to secure its 16th league title.

### Regular season
#### Results

    As of 24 November 2002
| Home \ Away | SAL | MAR | MOT | OLI | PLA | RES | MAY | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Honduras Salzburg | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Marathón | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Motagua | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Olimpia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| Platense | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 5–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Real España | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| Real Maya | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Universidad | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 2–2 | | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Victoria | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | | 0–1 |
| Vida | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |

#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Platense | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 42 | 14 | +28 | 41 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Olimpia | 18 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 25 | 17 | +8 | 31 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Marathón | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 28 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Real España | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 25 | 18 | +7 | 26 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Motagua | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 26 | |
| 6 | Universidad | 18 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 26 | −6 | 19 | |
| 7 | Vida | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 29 | −10 | 19 | |
| 8 | Honduras Salzburg | 18 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 18 | |
| 9 | Real Maya | 18 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 31 | −20 | 14 | |
| 10 | Victoria | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 11 | |
* ↑ Universidad were deducted one (-1) point.
* ↑ Real Maya were added four (+4) points.
* ↑ Victoria were deducted one (-1) point.

### Final round
#### Semifinals
##### Platense vs Real España

* Platense won 2–1 on aggregate score.

##### Olimpia vs Marathón

* Olimpia won 2–1 on aggregate score.

#### Final
##### Platense vs Olimpia

| Platense | Olimpia |
Ricardo James :
| RB | – | Elder Valladares |
| CB | 4 | José Anthony Torres |
| LB | 3 | Ángel Hill |
| RM | 10 | Edgar Álvarez |
| CM | – | Walter Hernández |
| CM | – | Alex Andino |
| LM | – | Reynaldo Tilguath |
| RW | – | Clifford Laing |
| CF | 9 | Marcelo Ferreira |
| LW | – | Pablo Medina |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Elmer Blanco |
| DF | – | Derrick Hulse |
| FW | – | Francisco Ramírez |
| Manager: |||
| Alberto Romero |||
Donaldo González :
| RB | – | Wilson Palacios |
| CB | – | Fabio Ulloa |
| CB | – | Milton Palacios |
| LB | – | Edwin Ávila |
| CM | 25 | Óscar Bonilla |
| CM | – | Maynor Suazo |
| AM | 18 | Danilo Tosello |
| RF | – | Denilson Costa |
| CF | 9 | Juan Manuel Cárcamo |
| LF | 11 | Wilmer Velásquez |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | – | Eduardo Bennett |
| MF | 15 | Francis Reyes |
| Manager: |||
| Juan Carlos Espinoza |||
* Olimpia won 3–2 on aggregate.
* Liga Nacional 2002–03 Apertura Champion
* Olimpia 16th title

### Squads

Honduras Salzburg :
| Héctor "Tanqueta" Flores | Luis "Bombero" Ramírez | Carlos Escobar |
| Juan "Montuca" Castro | Luis Ramos | Jimmy González |
| Vinel Chamorro | | |
| Marathón |||
| Carlos "Pupita" Güity | Mauricio Sabillón | Pompilio Cacho |
| Emil Martínez | Juan Pablo Centeno | Víctor Coello |
| Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández | Darwin Pacheco | Mario Berríos |
| Behiker Bustillo | Rubén Suazo | Luis Santamaría |
| Walter López | Anael Figueroa | Carlos Alberto Salinas |
| Elvis Scott | Luis Guifarro | Leonardo Morales |
| Mario López | Dennis Ferrera | Óscar Vargas |
| Jean Carles Rosario | Lenín Suárez | Orvin "Pato" Cabrera |
| David Cárcamo | Alfredo Cristino Jara | Lisandro Silva |
| Silvian López | David Cáceres | Ilich Arias |
| Motagua |||
| Elmer Montoya | Júnior Izaguirre | Mauricio Castro |
| José Pacini | Noel Valladares | Carlos Oliva |
| Henry Enamorado | Nery Medina | Víctor Mena |
| Olimpia |||
| Danilo Tosello | Donaldo González | Wilmer Velásquez |
| Donis Escober | Denilson Costa | Milton Palacios Suazo |
| Wilson Palacios | Hendry Thomas | Maynor Suazo |
| Hugo Caballero | Francis Reyes | José Luis Pineda |
| Juan Manuel Cárcamo | Eduardo Bennett | Juan Carlos Raudales |
| Óscar "Pescado" Bonilla | Edwin Yobani Ávila | Fabio Ulloa |
| Platense |||
| Marcelo Ferreira | Jorge Zapata | Marvin Sánchez |
| Elmer Zelaya | Reynaldo Tilguath | Ricardo James |
| Edgar Álvarez | Clifford Laing | José Anthony Torres |
| Gustavo Scioscia | Pablo Medina | David Meléndez |
| Jorge Espinoza | Rony Morales | Ángel "Búfalo" Hill |
| Walter Hernández | Alex Andino | Elder Valladares |
| Derrick Hulse | Francisco Ramírez | Elmer Blanco |
| Real España |||
| Nigel Zúniga | Marlon José Peña | Enrique Renau |
| Jaime Rosales | Rafael Betine | Milton "Chocolate" Flores |
| Júnior Morales | Erick Vallecillo | Sergio Mendoza |
| Luciano Emílio |
| Real Maya/Real Patepluma |||
| Rony Flores | Cristino Bernárdez | |
| Universidad |||
| Jaime Ruíz | | |
| Victoria |||
| Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales | John Bodden | Carlos Lino |
| Carlos Discua | Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga | Mario Chávez |
| José García | Luis Lagos | Carlos "Tatín" Morán |
| Pablo Bernárdez | Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda | Óscar Sorto |
| Hesler Phillips | Miguel "Gallo" Mariano | Carlos "Calolo" Palacios |
| Alex Roberto Bailey | Máximo Arzú | Wilmer Ramos |
| Vida |||
| Jonathan Bush Sanders | Luis Perdomo | Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera |
| Jorge Ocampo | | |
Jose Gonzales

### Top goalscorers

15 goals
* Marcelo Ferreira (Platense)
11 goals
* Luciano Emílio (Real España)
6 goals
* Denilson Costa (Olimpia)

## Clausura

The Clausura tournament was played from February to June 2003. C.D. Marathón took revenge a year and a half later and defeated C.D. Motagua in the finals to claim its 4th league title.

### Regular season
#### Results

    As of 10 May 2003
| Home \ Away | SAL | MAR | MOT | OLI | PLA | RES | PAT | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Honduras Salzburg | | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Marathón | 2–0 | | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Motagua | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 2–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Olimpia | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | | 3–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 |
| Platense | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Real España | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Real Patepluma | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Universidad | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Victoria | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | | 3–2 |
| Vida | 2–0 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |

#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Olimpia | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 35 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Marathón | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 33 | 17 | +16 | 33 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Real España | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 15 | +10 | 33 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Motagua | 18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 29 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Vida | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 30 | −6 | 25 | |
| 6 | Platense | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 20 | |
| 7 | Universidad | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 20 | |
| 8 | Victoria | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 18 | 27 | −9 | 17 | |
| 9 | Real Patepluma | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 18 | −7 | 15 | |
| 10 | Honduras Salzburg | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 27 | −15 | 12 | |

### Final round
#### Semifinals
##### Olimpia vs Motagua

* Motagua won 4–2 on aggregate score.

##### Marathón vs Real España

* Marathón 2–2 Real España on aggregate score; Marathón advanced on better Regular season performance.

#### Final
##### Marathón vs Motagua

{{football box collapsible | round = 1st leg | date = 25 May 2003 | time = 16:00 (UTC−06:00) | team1 = Motagua | score = 1–1 | report = | team2 = Marathón | goals1 = Lozano 79' | goals2 = Martínez 65' | location = Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán | stadium = Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino | attendance = 21,691 | referee = Óscar Bardales | result = | nobars =
| Motagua | Marathón |
Henry Enamorado :
| CB | – | Víctor Bernárdez |
| CB | – | Jorge Lozano |
| CB | – | Elmer Montoya |
| RWB | – | Samir García |
| LWB | – | Iván Guerrero |
| CM | – | Faussy Rodríguez |
| CM | – | Víctor Mena |
| CM | – | Mauricio Castro |
| SS | 6 | Pablo Bocco |
| CF | 8 | Jairo Martínez |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Francisco Pavón |
| MF | – | Marlon Nolasco |
| FW | – | Luis Oseguera |
| Manager: |||
| Alejandro Domínguez |||
Víctor Coello :
| RB | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón |
| CB | 5 | Darwin Pacheco |
| CB | 6 | José Luis López |
| LB | 3 | Behiker Bustillo |
| RM | – | Walter López |
| CM | 20 | Narciso Fernández |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro | |
| LM | 7 | Emil Martínez | 66' |
| CF | 10 | Denilson Costa | |
| CF | 17 | Pompilio Cacho | |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Daniel Muñoz | |
| FW | 9 | José Pacini | |
| MF | – | Carlos Güity | |
| Manager: |||
| Flavio Ortega |||
| Marathón | Motagua |
Víctor Coello :
| RB | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón |
| CB | 5 | Darwin Pacheco |
| CB | 3 | José Luis López |
| LB | 6 | Behiker Bustillo |
| RM | – | Walter López |
| CM | 20 | Narciso Fernández |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro |
| LM | – | Carlos Güity |
| CF | 10 | Denilson Costa |
| CF | 17 | Pompilio Cacho |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Ilich Arias |
| DF | 4 | Lenín Suárez |
| Manager: |||
| Flavio Ortega |||
Henry Enamorado :
| RB | – | Samir García |
| CB | – | Jorge Lozano |
| CB | – | Elmer Montoya |
| LB | - | Iván Guerrero |
| RM | – | Víctor Mena |
| CM | – | Robel Bernárdez |
| CM | – | Francisco Pavón |
| LM | – | Mauricio Castro |
| CF | – | Luis Oseguera |
| CF | 8 | Jairo Martínez |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 6 | Pablo Bocco |
| MF | – | Avidán Solís |
| Manager: |||
| Alejandro Domínguez |||
* Marathón won 4–1 on aggregate score.
* Liga Nacional 2002–03 Clausura Champion
* Marathón 4th title

### Squads

Honduras Salzburg :
| Héctor "Tanqueta" Flores | Luis "Bombero" Ramírez | Carlos Escobar |
| Juan "Montuca" Castro | Luis Ramos | Jimmy González |
| Vinel Chamorro | | |
| Marathón |||
| Carlos "Pupita" Güity | Mauricio Sabillón | Pompilio Cacho |
| Emil Martínez | Hugo Caballero | Víctor Coello |
| Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández | Darwin Pacheco | Mario Berríos |
| Behiker Bustillo | José Luis López | Luis Santamaría |
| Walter López | Juan Manuel Zandoná | Carlos Alberto Salinas |
| Denilson Costa | Luis Guifarro | José Pacini |
| Lenín Suárez | Dennis Ferrera | Óscar Vargas |
| Leonardo Morales | Ilich Arias | David Cáceres |
| Antonio Arita |
| Motagua |||
| Elmer Montoya | Júnior Izaguirre | Mauricio Castro |
| Pablo Bocco | Noel Valladares | Juan Raudales |
| Samir García | Jairo Martínez | Luis "Tanque" Oseguera |
| Avidán Solís | Francisco Pavón | Robel Bernárdez |
| Víctor Mena | Iván Guerrero | Henry Enamorado |
| Jorge "Tata" Lozano |
| Olimpia |||
| Danilo Tosello | Donaldo González | Wilmer Velásquez |
| Donis Escober | Marcelo Ferreira | Milton Palacios Suazo |
| Wilson Palacios | Hendry Thomas | Maynor Suazo |
| Maynor Figueroa | Francis Reyes | José Luis Pineda |
| Jerry Palacios | Óscar "Pescado" Bonilla | |
| Platense |||
| Francisco Ramírez | Jorge Zapata | Marvin Sánchez |
| Elmer Zelaya | Reynaldo Tilguath | Ricardo James |
| Ángel "Búfalo" Hill | Clifford Laing | José Anthony Torres |
| Gustavo Scioscia | Pablo Medina | David Meléndez |
| Rony Morales | Jorge Espinoza |
| Real España |||
| Nigel Zúniga | Marlon José Peña | Enrique Renau |
| Jaime Rosales | Rafael Betine | Milton "Chocolate" Flores |
| Júnior Morales | Erick Vallecillo | Luciano Emílio |
| Sergio Mendoza | Javier Martínez | Pedro Santana |
| Real Maya/Real Patepluma |||
| Rony Flores | Cristino Bernárdez | |
| Universidad |||
| Jaime Ruíz | Diego Vásquez | |
| Victoria |||
| Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales | John Bodden | Carlos Lino |
| Carlos Discua | Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga | Mario Chávez |
| José García | Luis Lagos | Carlos "Tatín" Morán |
| Pablo Bernárdez | Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda | Óscar Sorto |
| Hesler Phillips | Miguel "Gallo" Mariano | Carlos "Calolo" Palacios |
| Alex Roberto Bailey | Máximo Arzú | Wilmer Ramos |
| Walter "Pery" Martínez | Marvin Morán | Marvin Chávez |
| Samir George | Ignacio Mejía | Johnny Rivera |
| Dionisio Bátiz | Carlos Mena | Marlon López |
| Norlan García |
| Vida |||
| Jonathan Bush Sanders | Luis Perdomo | Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera |
| Jorge Ocampo | Saynor Álvarez | Víctor "Muma" Bernárdez |

### Top goalscorers

10 goals
* Luciano Emílio (Real España)
* Pompilio Cacho (C.D. Marathón)
* Denilson Costa (C.D. Marathón)
8 goals
* Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
6 goals
* Pedro Santana (Real España)
6 goals
* Jairo Martínez (Motagua)
* José Pacini (Marathón)
5 goals
* Danilo Tosello (Olimpia)
* Luis Oseguera (Motagua)
4 goals
* Emil Martínez (Marathón)
* Francisco Ramírez (Platense)
* Marcelo Ferreira (Olimpia)
* Abidán Solís (Motagua)
3 goals
* Clifford Laing (Platense)

## Relegation

Relegation was determined by the aggregated table of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments. On 10 May 2003, C.D. Victoria were relegated to Liga de Ascenso, however they bought Honduras Salzburg's franchise and stayed in first division.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Olimpia | 36 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 57 | 36 | +21 | 66 | |
| 2 | Platense | 36 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 60 | 34 | +26 | 61 | |
| 3 | Marathón | 36 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 61 | |
| 4 | Real España | 36 | 15 | 14 | 7 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 59 | |
| 5 | Motagua | 36 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 55 | |
| 6 | Vida | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 44 | |
| 7 | Universidad | 36 | 7 | 19 | 10 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 39 | |
| 8 | Honduras Salzburg | 36 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 30 | |
| 9 | Real Patepluma | 36 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 22 | 49 | −27 | 29 | |
| 10 | Victoria | 36 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 33 | 56 | −23 | 28 | Relegation to the 2003–04 Liga de Ascenso |
* ↑ Universidad were deducted a total –1 point.
* ↑ Real Patepluma were added a total +4 points.
* ↑ Victoria were deducted a total –1 point.

## Controversies

During the Apertura tournament, C.D. Marathón hosted Real C.D. España on week 9, the match was played on 28 September and ended with a 0–2 away win to Real España. During halftime, Real España delayed more than 15 minutes and returned late to play the second half. Marathón alleged and the Board of Discipline annulled the game. A rematch was played on 13 October ending in a 0–0 draw. Such decision affected the final standings which resulted in Marathón owning the third place and sent Real España to fourth.