# 1997 Torneo Descentralizado

The 1997 Torneo Descentralizado was the 82nd season of the top category of Peruvian football (soccer). It was played by 14 teams. The national champion was Alianza Lima, their first title in 19 years.

## Competition modus

The national championship was divided into two half-year tournaments, the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura. Each was played on a round-robin basis. The winners of each would play for the national title in a playoff. However, since the same club won both tournaments, it won the national championship automatically.
Following-season Copa Libertadores berths went to the champion, as well as to the winner of a Liguilla (small league) featuring teams between second and seventh place on the aggregate table. This had a round-robin format, with the team obtaining the best results in matchups during the "regular season" playing at home. The runner-up would qualify for the Copa CONMEBOL. The bottom four teams on the aggregate table were relegated.

## Teams
### Team changes

| Promoted from 1996 Segunda División | Promoted from 1996 Copa Perú | Relegated from 1996 Primera División |
| Alcides Vigo (1st) | José Gálvez (1st) | Aurich–Cañaña (13th) Ciclista Lima (14th) Guardia Republicana (15th) San Agustín (16th) |

### Stadia locations

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Field |
| Alcides Vigo | Lima | Nacional | 45,750 | Grass |
| Alianza Atlético | Sullana | Campeones del 36 | 8,000 | Grass |
| Alianza Lima | Lima | Alejandro Villanueva | 35,000 | Grass |
| Atlético Torino | Talara | Campeonísimo | 8,000 | Grass |
| Cienciano | Cuzco | Garcilaso | 42,056 | Grass |
| Deportivo Municipal | Lima | Nacional | 45,750 | Grass |
| Deportivo Pesquero | Chimbote | Manuel Rivera Sanchez | 25,000 | Grass |
| José Gálvez | Chimbote | Manuel Rivera Sanchez | 25,000 | Grass |
| La Loretana | Pucallpa | Aliardo Soria | 15,000 | Grass |
| Melgar | Arequipa | Mariano Melgar | 20,000 | Grass |
| Sport Boys | Callao | Miguel Grau | 18,000 | Grass |
| Sporting Cristal | Lima | San Martín de Porres | 18,000 | Grass |
| Unión Minas | Cerro de Pasco | Daniel Alcides Carrión | 8,000 | Grass |
| Universitario | Lima | Nacional | 45,750 | Grass |

## Torneo Apertura

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Alianza Lima | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 9 | +18 | 30 | Copa Libertadores 1998 Group Stage |
| 2 | Sporting Cristal | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 13 | +17 | 27 | |
| 3 | Universitario | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 25 | |
| 4 | Cienciano | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 24 | |
| 5 | Deportivo Municipal | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 20 | |
| 6 | Sport Boys | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 18 | |
| 7 | Alianza Atlético | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 15 | |
| 8 | Deportivo Pesquero | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 14 | |
| 9 | Melgar | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 24 | −8 | 14 | |
| 10 | Atlético Torino | 13 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 13 | |
| 11 | Alcides Vigo | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 18 | −5 | 12 | |
| 12 | Unión Minas | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 28 | −14 | 12 | |
| 13 | José Gálvez | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 28 | −16 | 12 | |
| 14 | La Loretana | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 18 | −9 | 11 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | AVI | AAS | ALI | TOR | CIE | MUN | PES | GAL | LOR | MEL | SBA | CRI | MIN | UNI |
| Alcides Vigo | | — | — | 0–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 1–3 | 3–2 | — |
| Alianza Atlético | 1–0 | | — | 1–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | — | — | 1–2 | — | 8–1 | 1–1 |
| Alianza Lima | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 3–1 | — | — | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | 5–4 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Atlético Torino | — | — | — | | 0–0 | 2–3 | — | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | — | 1–1 |
| Cienciano | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | — | | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 0–0 | — | — |
| Deportivo Municipal | — | — | 2–0 | — | 1–2 | | — | 5–0 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–6 | 4–0 | 1–2 |
| Deportivo Pesquero | — | — | 0–3 | 0–0 | — | 4–0 | | — | 1–1 | 4–1 | — | 0–0 | — | 0–1 |
| José Gálvez | — | 2–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | | — | 3–2 | — | — | — | — |
| La Loretana | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | — | 0–0 | 1–2 | — | 2–1 | | — | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — |
| Melgar | 5–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | 2–0 | | — | — | 2–1 | — |
| Sport Boys | 2–1 | — | 1–3 | — | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | — | 0–1 | | — | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| Sporting Cristal | — | 2–1 | — | 4–2 | — | — | — | 6–0 | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | | — | — |
| Unión Minas | — | — | — | 3–1 | 2–4 | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | 0–0 | | 0–2 |
| Universitario | 0–0 | — | – | — | 2–1 | — | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 | — | 2–0 | — | |

## Torneo Clausura

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Alianza Lima | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 7 | +26 | 32 | Copa Libertadores 1998 Group Stage |
| 2 | Universitario | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 7 | +12 | 28 | |
| 3 | Sporting Cristal | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 16 | +9 | 22 | |
| 4 | Alianza Atlético | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 13 | +11 | 21 | |
| 5 | Melgar | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 21 | |
| 6 | Cienciano | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 20 | |
| 7 | Unión Minas | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 20 | |
| 8 | Deportivo Municipal | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 24 | −6 | 19 | |
| 9 | Deportivo Pesquero | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 15 | |
| 10 | Sport Boys | 13 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 15 | |
| 11 | Alcides Vigo | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 23 | −4 | 13 | |
| 12 | Atlético Torino | 13 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 30 | −17 | 10 | |
| 13 | José Gálvez | 13 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 27 | −15 | 9 | |
| 14 | La Loretana | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 30 | −20 | 9 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | AVI | AAS | ALI | TOR | CIE | MUN | PES | GAL | LOR | MEL | SBA | CRI | MIN | UNI |
| Alcides Vigo | | 0–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | — | 0–1 |
| Alianza Atlético | — | | 0–2 | — | 3–1 | — | — | 4–0 | 8–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–2 | — | — |
| Alianza Lima | — | — | | — | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | — | 5–0 | 2–2 | — | — | 0–0 |
| Atlético Torino | 2–5 | 0–2 | 0–5 | | — | — | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 3–1 | — |
| Cienciano | — | — | — | 2–1 | | 3–0 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | — | — | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Deportivo Municipal | 4–3 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | — | | 1–3 | — | 2–0 | — | 2–0 | — | — | — |
| Deportivo Pesquero | 4–1 | 1–2 | — | — | 0–0 | — | | 3–1 | — | — | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | — |
| José Gálvez | 4–2 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | | 3–0 | — | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| La Loretana | — | — | 0–1 | 3–1 | — | — | 1–1 | — | | 2–1 | — | — | — | 1–1 |
| Melgar | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | — | | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 2–2 |
| Sport Boys | — | 0–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | | 1–1 | — | — |
| Sporting Cristal | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 4–1 | — | — | | 4–1 | 0–1 |
| Unión Minas | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | — | 4–0 | — | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | | — |
| Universitario | — | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 3–0 | |

## Finals

No finals were held after Alianza Lima won both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments, thus automatically obtaining the national title.

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Alianza Lima (C) | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 60 | 16 | +44 | 62 | Qualification for 1998 Copa Libertadores and 1998 Copa Merconorte |
| 2 | Universitario | 26 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 49 | 15 | +34 | 53 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 3 | Sporting Cristal | 26 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 55 | 29 | +26 | 49 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 4 | Cienciano | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 35 | 23 | +12 | 44 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 5 | Deportivo Municipal | 26 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 39 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 6 | Alianza Atlético | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 31 | +15 | 36 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 7 | Melgar | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 33 | 40 | −7 | 35 | Qualification for Liguilla Pre-Libertadores |
| 8 | Sport Boys | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 33 | −5 | 33 | |
| 9 | Unión Minas | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 43 | −14 | 32 | |
| 10 | Deportivo Pesquero | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 33 | 32 | +1 | 29 | |
| 11 | Alcides Vigo | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 32 | 41 | −9 | 25 | Relegation to 1998 Segunda División |
| 12 | Atlético Torino | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 27 | 49 | −22 | 23 | Relegation to 1998 Copa Perú |
| 13 | José Gálvez | 26 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 24 | 55 | −31 | 21 | Relegation to 1998 Copa Perú |
| 14 | La Loretana | 26 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 48 | −29 | 20 | Relegation to 1998 Copa Perú |

## Liguilla Pre-Libertadores

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | SC | UNI | MEL | CIE | AAS | MUN |
| 1 | Sporting Cristal | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 13 | 1998 Copa Libertadores and 1998 Copa Merconorte | | | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Universitario | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 8 | 1998 Copa Merconorte | 0–0 | | 0–0 | | 4–0 | |
| 3 | Melgar | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1998 Copa CONMEBOL | 0–3 | | | 2–0 | | |
| 4 | Cienciano | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 6 | | | 3–1 | | | | 3–2 |
| 5 | Alianza Atlético | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 5 | | | | 1–1 | 4–2 | | |
| 6 | Deportivo Municipal | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | −11 | 1 | | | 1–7 | 0–1 | | 2–2 | |

## Top scorers

Source: RSSSF

### 17 goals

* Ricardo Zegarra (Alianza Atlético)