# Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Apertura 2008

The Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Apertura 2008 season (officially known as "Torneo Apertura 2008"), started on August 2, 2008, and finished on December 21, 2008.
C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo came into the tournament as defending champions, having won their eighth league title in the previous season. A total of 10 teams contested the league, 8 of which had already participated in the Clausura 2008 season, and two of which had been promoted from the Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño.
The 10 teams of the Primera División each played 18 matches, playing each team twice (home and away). The top four teams qualified directly to the semifinals.
The winner of the final series gained entry into the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League.

## Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño as of June 27, 2008.
* Champions: C.D. Atlético Balboa
* Runner-up (won through playoff): Juventud Independiente
Relegated to Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño as of June 27, 2008.
* Last place: Once Municipal
* Second last (lost through playoff): San Salvador F.C.

## Team information
### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Chairman | Head Coach | Kitmaker | Shirt sponsor |
| Águila | | Agustín Castillo | TBD | TBD |
| Alianza | | Pablo Centrone | TBD | TBD |
| C.D. Atlético Balboa | TBD | Gustavo de Simone | TBD | TBD |
| C.D. Chalatenango | | Carlos Meléndez | | |
| FAS | Reynaldo Valle | Nelson Ancheta | TBD | TBD |
| Firpo | TBD | Miguel Obando | TBD | TBD |
| Juventud Independiente | | Jorge Abrego | TBD | TBD |
| Isidro Metapán | | Edwin Portillo | TBD | TBD |
| Nejapa F.C. | | Mauricio Cienfuegos | TBD | TBD |
| C.D. Vista Hermosa | TBD | Víctor Coreas | TBD | TBD |

## League standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | C.D. Águila | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 19 | +20 | 34 | Qualified to semifinals |
| 2 | A.D. Isidro Metapán | 18 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 21 | +11 | 31 | Qualified to semifinals |
| 3 | C.D. FAS | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 30 | Qualified to semifinals |
| 4 | C.D. Chalatenango | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 28 | Qualified to semifinals |
| 5 | C.D. Vista Hermosa | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 27 | |
| 6 | C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 18 | +2 | 22 | |
| 7 | C.D. Atlético Balboa | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 29 | −6 | 20 | |
| 8 | Juventud Independiente | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 35 | −14 | 19 | |
| 9 | Alianza F.C. | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 17 | |
| 10 | Nejapa F.C. | 18 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 34 | −18 | 11 | |

## Final

Chalatenango :
| GK | Jassir Deras |
| DF | Cristian López |
| DF | Ramón Martínez |
| DF | Hermes Martínez |
| DF | Roberto García |
| MF | Juan Carlos Serrano |
| MF | Óscar Navarro |
| MF | Léster Blanco |
| MF | Manuel Luna |
| FW | José Luis Osorio |
| FW | Carlos Ayala |
| Substitutes: |||
| FW | Fredy Vichéz |
| MF | Mario Deras |
| MF | Amílcar Ramírez |
| Manager: |||
| Carlos Antonio Meléndez ||||
Isidro Metapán: :
| GK | Dagoberto Portillo |
| DF | Ricardo Alvarado |
| DF | Alexander Escobar |
| DF | Ernesto Aquino |
| DF | Ernesto Iraheta | |
| MF | Mario Aguilar |
| MF | Héctor Mejía 70' |
| MF | José Amaya | |
| MF | Paolo Suárez |
| FW | Williams Reyes |
| FW | Julio Martínez | |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | José Manuel Martínez | 71' |
| MF | Erick Dowson Prado | |
| DF | Jorge Morán | |
| Manager: |||
| Edwin Portillo ||||

### Champion

* Apertura 2008 Champion
* A.D. Isidro Metapán 2nd title
A.D. Isidro Metapán qualified for 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League.

## Season statistics
### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Nicolás Muñoz for Alianza against Balboa (2 August 2008)
* Fastest goal in a match: 25 seconds – Alejandro de la Cruz Bentos for FAS against Nejapa (26 October 2008)
* Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 90+9 minutes
** José Oliveira de Souza for Águila against Independiente (23 August 2008)
* Widest winning margin: 10 – Águila 10–0 Independiente (23 August 2008)
* Most goals in a match: 10
** Águila 10–0 Independiente (23 August 2008)
** Balboa 3-7 Independiente (30 August 2008)
* First hat-trick of the season: José Oliveira de Souza for Águila against Independiente (30 August 2008)
* First own goal of the season: Luis Espíndola for Nejapa against Balboa (29 October 2008)
* Most goals by one player in a single match: 3
** José Oliveira de Souza for Águila against Independiente (30 August 2008)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 10
** Águila 10–0 Independiente (23 August 2008)
* Most goals in one half by one team: 6
** Águila 10–0 Independiente (23 August 2008)
* Most goals scored by losing team: 3
** Balboa 3-7 Independiente (30 August 2008)

### Average home attendance

* Highest average home attendance: 3,712 (Águila)
* Lowest average home attendance: 667 (Nejapa)

### Clean sheets

* Most clean sheets - Firpo (9)
* Fewest clean sheets - Nejapa, Alianza and Independiente (7)

### Overall

* Most wins - Águila (10)
* Fewest wins - Nejapa (2)
* Most draws - Balboa (8)
* Fewest draws - Águila (4)
* Most losses - Nejapa (11)
* Fewest losses - Metapán (3)
* Most goals scored - Águila (39)
* Fewest goals scored - Nejapa (16)
* Most goals conceded - Independiente (35)
* Fewest goals conceded - Vista Hermosa (16)

### Home

* Most wins - Águila and Metapán (6)
* Fewest wins - Independiente and Alianza (1)
* Most draws - Independiente (5)
* Fewest draws - Nejapa and Metapán (1)
* Most losses - Alianza (4)
* Fewest losses - Águila, Metapán, FAS, Chalatenango and Vista Hermosa (1)
* Most goals scored - Metapán (24)
* Fewest goals scored - Independiente (5)
* Most goals conceded - Nejapa (20)
* Fewest goals conceded - Águila (6)

### Away

* Most wins - Águila and FAS (4)
* Fewest wins - Nejapa (0)
* Most draws - Metapán and Balboa (5)
* Fewest draws - Alianza (1)
* Most losses - Alianza and Nejapa (5)
* Fewest losses - Metapán (2)
* Most goals scored - Águila (17)
* Fewest goals scored - Nejapa (6)
* Most goals conceded - Independiente (25)
* Fewest goals conceded - Metapán and Vista Hermosa (9)

## Top scorers

| Total | Player | Player | Team | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round | Goals per Round |
| Total | Player | Player | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 11 | | Carlos Ayala | Chalatenango | 1 | | | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | 2 | |
| 9 | | José Oliveira de Souza | Águila | | | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | | César Larios | FAS | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | | | |
| 8 | | Williams Reyes | Metapán | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | |
| 8 | | Franklin Webster | Balboa | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | |
| 7 | | Edgar Leguizamón | Firpo | | | | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 1 | | 1 | | |
| 7 | | Pompilio Cacho | Vista Hermosa | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| 5 | | Rudis Corrales | Águila | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | |
| 5 | | Gabriel Garcete | Metapán | | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| 5 | | Alcides Bandera | Balboa | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | |
| 5 | | Emiliano Pedrozo | Nejapa | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | |
| 5 | | Nicolás Muñoz | Alianza | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | |
| 5 | | Alfredo Pacheco | FAS | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | |
| As of the end of the regular season |||||||||||||||||||||||||

### Fastest scorers

| Scorer | Time (seconds) | Team | Opponent |
| Alejandro de la Cruz Bentos | 25 | FAS | Nejapa |
| Mario Aguilar Posada | 40 | Metapán | Firpo |
| Christian Castillo | 42 | Alianza | Águila |

## Attendance

| Attendance | Round | Date | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Weekday | Time of Day |
| 14,403 | Final | 21 December 2008 | Chalatenango | 3 – 3 | Metapán | Estadio Cuscatlán | Sunday | Afternoon |
| 11,463 | Semifinal - 2nd leg | 13 December 2008 | FAS | 1 – 3 | Metapán | Estadio Oscar Quiteño | Saturday | Night |
| 7,690 | Round 2 | 6 August 2008 | Águila | 3 – 1 | FAS | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | Wednesday | Night |
| 6,997 | Round 16 | 12 November 2008 | FAS | 1 – 0 | Águila | Estadio Oscar Quiteño | Wednesday | Night |
| 6,156 | Round 8 | 20 September 2008 | Águila | 1 – 0 | Alianza | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | Saturday | Twilight |
| 5,815 | Round 15 | 15 November 2008 | FAS | 1 – 1 | Metapán | Estadio Oscar Quiteño | Saturday | Night |
| 5,307 | Round 2 | 6 August 2008 | Alianza | 3 – 1 | Independiente | Estadio Cuscatlán | Wednesday | Afternoon |
| 5,122 | Semifinal - 2nd leg | 13 December 2008 | Águila | 1 – 0 | Chalatenango | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | Saturday | Night |
| 4,800 | Semifinal - 1st leg | 7 December 2008 | Chalatenango | 3 – 0 | Águila | Estadio José Gregorio Martínez | Sunday | Afternoon |
| 4,722 | Round 13 | 5 November 2008 | Águila | 3 – 2 | Firpo | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | Wednesday | Night |
| 4,510 | Round 3 | 9 August 2008 | Firpo | 1 – 2 | Alianza | Estadio Sergio Torres | Saturday | Night |

## Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| C.D. Chalatenango | Juan Ramón Sánchez | TBD | June 2008 | Carlos Antonio Meléndez | June 2008 | Pre-season |
| Nejapa | Mauricio Cienfuegos | Mutual consent | 14 August 2008 | Emiliano Pedrozo | August 2008 | 10th |
| Nejapa | Emiliano Pedrozo | went back to being a player | September 2008 | Daniel Uberti | 5 September 2008 | 10th |
| Firpo | Gerardo Reinoso | Sacked | 25 August 2008 | Óscar Benítez | 2 September 2008 | 7th |
| Balboa | Gustavo de Simone | Sacked | 30 August 2008 | Roberto Gamarra | 5 September 2008 | 10th |
| Alianza | Pablo Centrone | Sacked | 14 September 2008 | Carlos Jurado | 16 September 2008 | 5th |
| Firpo | Oscar Benítez | Sacked | 9 December 2008 | Agustín Castillo | 23 December 2008 | Post-season (6th) |
| Águila | Agustín Castillo | Sacked | 15 December 2008 | Pablo Centrone | 24 December 2008 | Post-season (Semifinals) |
| FAS | Nelson Ancheta | Sacked | 27 December 2008 | Roberto Gamarra | 1 January 2009 | Post-season (Semifinals) |
| Nejapa | Daniel Uberti | Sacked | 29 December 2008 | Nelson Ancheta | 29 December 2008 | Post-season (10th) |
| Balboa | Roberto Gamarra | Mutual consent | 1 January 2009 | Carlos de Toro | 16 January 2009 | Post-season (7th) |
| Juventud | Jorge Abrego | Sacked | December 2008 | Juan Ramón Sánchez | December 2009 | Post-season (8th) |

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in Apertura 2008. The following players:
* have played at least one apertura game for the respective club.
* have not been capped for the El Salvador national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace
A new rule was introduced this season that clubs can only have three foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or player/s is released.