# 2023–24 Primera División de El Salvador

The 2023–24 Primera División de El Salvador, also known as the Liga Pepsi, is the 25th season and 48th and 49th Primera División tournament, El Salvador's top football division, since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. FAS are the defending champions of the Apertura tournament. There was no Clausura champion as the season was cancelled due to Cuscatlan Tragedy. The league will consist of 12 teams. There will be two seasons conducted under identical rules, with each team playing a home and away game against the other clubs for a total of 22 games per tournament. At the end of each half-season tournament, the top six teams in that tournament's regular season standings will take part in the playoffs.
The champions of Apertura and Clausura will qualify for the CONCACAF Central American Cup, the third team to qualify is the team with better aggregate record. Should the same team win both tournaments, both runners-up will qualify for CONCACAF Central American Cup. Should the final of both tournaments features the same two teams, the semi-finalist with the better aggregate record will qualify for CONCACAF Central American Cup.

## Teams
### Promotion and relegation

A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 11 sides from the 2022–23 Primera División and 1 promoted from the 2022–23 Segunda División.
Fuerte San Francisco was promoted to the Primera División in June 25, 2023 after defeating Titan in a playoff match by a score of 3-0 in penalties, after the team were tied 0-0 after 120 minutes.
Chalatenango was relegated to the 2023–24 Segunda División.

## Notable events
### Municipal Limeno purchase of Atletico Marte spot in the Primera Division

On the 26th of June, 2023 Municipal Limeño acquired the spot of the historic team Atletico Marte in the Primera division. This ended 3 years of Atletico Marte being in the Primera division.

### Notable death from Apertura 2023 season and 2024 Clausura season

The following people associated with the Primera Division have died between the middle of 2022 and middle of 2023.
* Jorge Roldán (ex Guatemalan Once Municipal and Platense coach)
* José Sulantay (ex chilean UES and Atletico Marte player)
* Joaquin Santana Palma (ex Sonsonate and Juventud Olimpico Metalio player)
* Juan Jose Polio (Ex Aguila player)
* Hernán Carrasco (ex Chilean Alianza, Atletico Marte, FAS, Aguila, LA Firpo, Municipal Limeno, Excélsior F.C. coach)
* Eduardo Santana (ex Brazilian Aguila player)
* Jorge Búcaro (ex Aguila, Alianza, FAS and Platense player)
* Jose Luis Bracamonte (ex Alianza, Quequeisque and Platense player)
* Geovany Zetino (ex San Luis player)
* Pedro Jose Vasquez (ex Sonsonate, Quequeisque and ADLER player)
* Carlos Jurado (ex Uruguayan Atletico Marte and Alianza coach)
* Alexsander Rodríguez (ex Chalatenango coach)
* Mario “Pulga” Nájera (ex FAS player)
* Efrain Nunez (Ex hondurian player Fuerte San Francisco and Ex Vista Hermosa coach
* Didier Castro (ex Costa Rican Dragon and El Roble coach)

## Managerial changes
### Before the start of the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Aguila | Sebastián Bini | Contract finished, Hired as Municipal new coach | May 27, 2023 | Ernesto Corti | May 27, 2023 | th (2023 Clausura) |
| Santa Tecla | Ernesto Corti | Mutual Consent, went on to become Aguila new coach | May 27, 2023 | Francisco Medrano | July 15, 2023 | th (2023 Clausura) |
| FAS | Efren Marenco | Mutual Consent, Moved to be reserve coach | June 1, 2023 | Raúl Arias | June 8, 2023 | th (2023 Clausura) |
| Jocoro | Víctor Coreas | Mutual Consent | June 21, 2023 | Agustin Castillo | June 22, 2023 | th (2023 Clausura) |
| Alianza | Eduardo Lara | Mutual Consent | June 27, 2023 | Milton Meléndez | June 28, 2023 | th (2023 Clausura) |
| Municipal Limeno | José Romero | Mutual Consent | June 21, 2023 | Jorge Ernesto Pineda | June 22, 2023 | None (2023 Clausura) |

### During the Apertura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Municipal Limeno | Jorge Pineda | Mutual Consent | August 24, 2023 | Nelson Ancheta | August 25, 2023 | th (2023 Apertura) |
| Municipal Limeno | Nelson Ancheta | Resigned | October 17, 2023 | Abel Flores (Interim) | October, 2023 | 9th (2023 Apertura) |
| Platense | Juan Cortés Diéguez | Resigned | October 23, 2023 | Jorge Abrego | October 25, 2023 | 11th (2023 Apertura) |
| Santa Tecla | Francisco Medrano | Resigned | October 23, 2023 | Juan Ramón Sánchez | October 25, 2023 | 12th (2023 Apertura) |
| Fuerte San Francisco | Pablo Quiñones | Sacked | November 15, 2023 | Jesús Álvarez (Interim) | November, 2023 | 8th (2023 Apertura) |

### Between the Apertura and Clausura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Municipal Limeno | Abel Flores (Interim) | End of Interimship | December 11, 2023 | William Renderos | December 11, 2023 | 9th (2023 Apertura) |
| Dragon | Marvín Benitez | Mutual consent | December 21, 2023 | Manuel Acevedo | December 24, 2024 | 7th (2023 Apertura) |
| Isidro Metapán | Jorge Rodríguez | Resigned | December 23, 2023 | Julio Zamora | December 28, 2024 | 8th (2023 Apertura) |
| Alianza | Milton Meléndez | Moved to become director of sports | December 29, 2023 | Jorge Rodríguez | December 29, 2023 | 4th (2023 Apertura) |
| LA Firpo | Guillermo Rivera | Mutual consent | December 2023 | Gabriel Álvarez | January, 2024 | 3rd (2023 Apertura) |
| Fuerte San Francisco | Jesús Álvarez | End of interimship | January 4, 2024 | Fabio Gaston Larramendi | January 4, 2024 | 5th (2023 Apertura) |

### Clausura seasons

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Fuerte San Francisco | Fabio Gaston Larramendi | Sacked | February 8, 2024 | Nelson Ancheta | February 9, 2024 | 11th (2024 Clausura) |
| Jocoro | Agustin Castillo | Mutual Consent | February 12, 2024 | Carlos Romero | February 13, 2024 | 12th (2024 Clausura) |
| Jocoro | Carlos Romero | Resigned | March 24, 2024 | Marvin Hernandez (Interim) | March 25, 2024 | 12th (2024 Clausura) |
| Santa Tecla | Juan Ramón Sánchez | Sacked | March 28, 2024 | Francisco Medrano | March 28, 2024 | th (2024 Clausura) |
| FAS | Raúl Arias | Mutual Consent | April 12, 2024 | Richard Preza | April 13, 2024 | th (2024 Clausura) |
| Isidro Metapan | Julio Zamora | Mutual Consent | April 19, 2024 | Carlos Martinez (Interim) | April 22, 2024 | th (2024 Clausura) |

## Apertura 2023
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Águila (Q) | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 39 | 22 | +17 | 44 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 2 | FAS (Q) | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 36 | 23 | +13 | 42 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 3 | Luis Ángel Firpo (Q) | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 36 | 26 | +10 | 37 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 4 | Alianza (Q) | 22 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 28 | 20 | +8 | 32 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 5 | Fuerte San Francisco (Q) | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 27 | 24 | +3 | 34 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 6 | Jocoro (Q) | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 32 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 7 | Dragón (Q) | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 30 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 8 | Isidro Metapán (Q) | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 30 | 28 | +2 | 29 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 9 | Municipal Limeño (E) | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 28 | |
| 10 | Once Deportivo (E) | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 26 | 30 | −4 | 27 | |
| 11 | Platense (E) | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 44 | −25 | 12 | |
| 12 | Santa Tecla (E) | 22 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 42 | −22 | 11 | |

### Apertura 2023 Records
#### Records

* Best home records: Aguila (24 points out of 33 points)
* Worst home records: Santa Tecla and Platense (7 points out of 33 points)
* Best away records : Aguila and FAS (20 points out of 33 points)
* Worst away records : Santa Tecla (4 points out of 33 points)
* Most goals scored: Dragón (40 goals)
* Fewest goals scored: Platense (19 goals)
* Fewest goals conceded : Alianza (20 goals)
* Most goals conceded : Platense (44 goals)

### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Santos Ortiz for Aguila against Santa Tecla, 22 minutes (August 14, 2023)
* First goal by a foreign player: Jomal Williams for Once Deportivo against Platense, 76th minutes (August 14, 2023)
* Fastest goal in a match: 23 Seconds
** Yerson Tobar for Alianza against Santa Tecla (October 23, 2023)
* Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 94 minutes
** Lizandro Claros goal for LA Firpo against Jocoro (August 20, 2023) Roberto Gonzalez for Once Deportivo against Fuerte San Francisco (August 21, 2023)
* First penalty Kick of the season: Rodolfo Zelaya for Alianza against FAS, 7th minutes (August 19, 2023)
* Widest winning margin: 4 goals
** Aguila 5–1 Dragon (August 20, 2023)
* First hat-trick of the season: Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023)
* First own goal of the season: Ivan Mancia (Alianza) for Fuerte San Francisco (October 7, 2023)
* Most goals in a match: 8 goals
** Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 5 goals
** Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023) Aguila 5–1 Dragon (August 21, 2023)
* Most goals in one half by one team: 4 goals
** Alianza 5-0 (5-3) FAS (1st half, August 19, 2023)
* Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals
** FAS 3–5 Alianza (August 19, 2023)
* Most goals by one player in a single match: 4 goals
** Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023)
* Players that scored a hat-trick':
** Carlos Salazar for Aguila against Dragon (August 21, 2023)
** Duvier Riascos for Aguila against Isidro Metapan (September 10, 2023)

#### Top Goalscorer (Apertura 2023)

| No. | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Carlos Salazar | Aguila | 15 |
| 2 | German Aguila | Jocoro | 15 |
| 3 | Luis Ángel Landín | Municipal Limeno | 13 |
| 4 | Jhon Montano | Dragon | 11 |
| 5 | Javier Ferman | Dragon | 10 |
| 6 | Sebastián Julio | LA Firpo | 10 |
| 7 | Nicolas Gonzalez | Fuerte San Francisco | 9 |
| 8 | Duvier Riascos | Aguila | 9 |
| 9 | Emerson Mauricio | Alianza | 8 |
| 10 | Mateus Ramos | LA Firpo | 7 |
| 10 | Kevin Reyes | FAS | 7 |

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

Alianza won 5-1 on Aggregate
Dragon won 2-1 on Aggregate
Jocoro won 2-1 on Aggregate
Aguila won 1-0 on aggregate

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

Jocoro won 6-2 on aggregate
Aguila won 3-2 on aggregate

#### Final

Aguila :
| GK | 1 | Rafael Garcia |
| DF | 16 | Kevin Melara |
| DF | 2 | Julio Sibrian |
| DF | 28 | Ronald Rodriguez |
| DF | 20 | Carlos Pimentia | 35' |
| MF | 12 | Santos Ortiz | 46' |
| MF | 24 | Darwin Ceren |
| MF | 10 | Gerson Mayen | 46' |
| MF | 14 | Melvin Cartagena |
| FW | 21 | Carlos Salazar | 35' 46' 11' |
| FW | 8 | Lucas Ventura | 46' |
| Substitutes: |||||
| MF | 5 | Tomas Granitto | | 62' |
| MF | 6 | Dixon Rivas | | 78' |
| DF | 27 | Herberth Diaz | | 46' |
| FW | 7 | Duvier Riascos | | 34' 87' 11' |
| Manager: |||||
| Ernesto Corti |||||
Jocoro :
| GK | 1 | Danilo Joya |
| DF | 6 | Johnathan Quintanilla |
| DF | 23 | Nelson Moreno | 65' |
| DF | 19 | Elvis Claros |
| DF | 11 | Elmer Guity |
| MF | 10 | Luis Acuna | |
| MF | 12 | Emmanuel Hernandez | 71' |
| MF | 14 | Wilson Rugamas | 23' |
| MF | 10 | Lester Blanco | |
| FW | 17 | Junior Padilla | 77' |
| FW | 9 | German Aguila | 75' |
| Substitutes: |||||
| MF | 7 | Herbert Sosa | | 71' |
| MF | '22 | Joel Turcios | | |
| MF | 16 | Juan Carlos Argueta | | |
| DF | 4 | Orlando Martinez | 77' |
| Manager: |||||
| Agustin Castillo |||||
* Apertura 2023 champions
* Aguila 17th title

## Clausura 2024
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Alianza | 22 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 39 | 13 | +26 | 45 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 2 | Luis Ángel Firpo | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 47 | 30 | +17 | 42 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 3 | Municipal Limeño | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 33 | 25 | +8 | 39 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 4 | Águila | 22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 29 | 18 | +11 | 38 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 5 | FAS | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 32 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 6 | Platense | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 26 | 29 | −3 | 32 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 7 | Isidro Metapán | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 22 | +2 | 31 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 8 | Once Deportivo | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 24 | −2 | 31 | Advance to Playoffs |
| 9 | Dragón | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 33 | −6 | 30 | |
| 10 | Santa Tecla | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 26 | 39 | −13 | 20 | |
| 11 | Fuerte San Francisco | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 30 | −11 | 17 | |
| 12 | Jocoro | 22 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 44 | −31 | 9 | |

### Clausura 2024 Records
#### Records

* Best home records: TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
* Worst home records: TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
* Best away records : TBD (00 points out of 33 points)
* Worst away records : TBD (0 points out of 33 points)
* Most goals scored: LA Firpo (47 goals)
* Fewest goals scored: Jocoro (13 goals)
* Fewest goals conceded : Alianza (13 goals)
* Most goals conceded : Jocoro (44 goals)

### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla, 20 minutes (January 14, 2024)
* First goal by a foreign player: Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla, 20 minutes (January 14, 2024)
* Fastest goal in a match: 29 seconds
** Ányelo Rodríguez for Alianza against Aguila (March 30, 2024)
* Goal scored at the latest goal in a match: 100 minutes
** Matheus da Silva goal for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024)
* First penalty Kick of the season: Diego Chavez for Once Deportivo against Alianza, 80th minutes (January 15, 2024)
* Widest winning margin: 5 goals
** Municipal Limeno 5-0 Platense (January 25, 2024)
* First hat-trick of the season: Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024)
* First own goal of the season: Johnathon Nolasco (FAS) for Once Deportivo (March 10, 2024)
* Most goals in a match: 8 goals
** Alianza 5-3 FAS (August 19, 2023)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 6 goals
** Alianza 6-1 Dragon (April 24, 2024)
* Most goals in one half by one team: 3 goals
** Municipal Limeno 3-0 (5-0) Platense (January 25, 2024)
* Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals
** TBD 3–5 TBD (August 19, 2023)
* Most goals by one player in a single match: 3 goals
** Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024)
* Players that scored a hat-trick':
** Mateus da Silva for LA Firpo against Santa Tecla (March 10, 2024)
** Yair Delgadillo for Limeno against Santa Tecla (March 24, 2024)
** Bryan Paz for Fuerte San Francisco against Platense (April 15, 2024)
** Sebastian Julio for Alianza against Dragon (April 24, 2024)
** Steven Vasquez for LA Firpo against Jocoro (May 2, 2024)

#### Top Goalscorer (Clausura 2024)

| No. | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Styven Vásquez | LA Firpo | 15 |
| 2 | Yair Delgadillo | Municipal Limeno | 14 |
| 3 | Sebastian Julio | Alianza | 10 |
| 4 | Isaac Esquivel | Isidro Metapan | 8 |
| 5 | Rafael Tejada | FAS | 7 |
| 6 | Daniel Arevalo | Platense | 6 |
| 7 | Mateus da Silva | LA Firpo | 6 |
| 8 | Manuel Murillo | Dragon | 6 |
| 9 | Bryan Paz | Aguila | 6 |
| 10 | Carlos Salazar | Aguila | 6 |

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

Isidro Metapan won 2-1 on Aggregate
Alianza FC won 3-1 on Aggregate
FAS won 5-4 on penalties, after tying 4-4 aggregate
Municipal Limeno won 3-2 on aggregate

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

Municipal Limeno won 2-1 on aggregate
Alianza won 3-2 on aggregate

#### Final

Alianza :
| GK | 25 | Mario González |
| DF | 5 | Mario Jacobo |
| DF | 16 | Henry Romero | 58' |
| DF | 17 | Alexis Renderos | 46' |
| DF | 15 | Jonathan Jiménez |
| MF | 6 | Narciso Orellana | 55' |
| MF | 19 | Andrés Hernández | 59' |
| MF | 21 | Marvin Monterroza | 73' 74' |
| MF | 7 | Ányelo Rodríguez | 69' |
| FW | 23 | Michell Mercado | 74' |
| FW | 30 | Emerson Mauricio | 10' 27' 45' 66' 70' |
| Substitutes: |||||
| MF | 8 | Oscar Rodriguez | | 59' |
| MF | 10 | Leonardo Rodriguez | | 74' |
| DF | 11 | Juan Portillo | | 74' |
| FW | 22 | Rodolfo Zelaya | | 70' |
| FW | 26 | Elias Rivas | | 69' |
| Manager: |||||
| Jorge Rodriguez |||||
Municipal Limeno :
| GK | 29 | Yimy Cuéllar |
| DF | 2 | Lizandro Claros | 57' |
| DF | 12 | Rubén Marroquín |
| DF | 5 | Ever Alvarado | 21 |
| DF | 16 | Tereso Benítez |
| MF | 11 | Elvin Alvarado | 68' 68' |
| MF | 6 | Bryan Landaverde | 89' |
| MF | 10 | Marvin Ramos | 26' |
| FW | 21 | Gilberto Baires | 27' |
| FW | 30 | Javier Fermán | 47' |
| FW | 22 | Yair Delgadillo | 67' |
| Substitutes: |||||
| MF | 4 | Walter Guevara | | 47' |
| MF | '9 | Luis Landin | | 67' |
| MF | 3 | Jose Villalobos | | 27' |
| DF | 24 | Rudy Ramirez | 89' |
| DF | 7 | Jefferson Valladares | 68' |
| Manager: |||||
| William Renderos |||||
* Clausura 2024 champions
* Alianza 18th title

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in the 2023–24 season. The following players:
* Have played at least one 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 have four foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or a player is released and it is before the close of the season transfer window.
Águila
* Lucas Ventura
* Duvier Riascos
* Carlos Salazar
* Carlos Daniel Pimienta
* Ronaldinho Caicedo
* Luis Angel Rodriguez
* Juan Pablo Otálvaro
Alianza
* Mitchel Mercado
* Yerson Tobar
* Sebastián Julio
* Ányelo Rodríguez
Dragon
* Luis Angulo
* Yair Arboleda
* Kevin Moreno
* Jhon Montaño
* Manuel Chala
* Manuel Murrillo
* Yerson Tobar
FAS
* Caio Laursen
* Félix Micolta
* Joao Plata
* Luis Ángel Mendoza
* Devier Chaverra
* Harrison Mojica
* Yair Arboleda
* Jairo Molina
Firpo
* Mateus Da Silva
* Sebastián Julio
* Tardelis Pena
* Oliver Almirón
* Guilherme Silva
* Jomal Williams
Fuerte San Francisco
* Luis Angulo
* Colorado Murray
* Nicolas Gonzalez
* Samuel Gimenez
* Carlos Alberto Gonzalez Saracho
Isidro Metapán
* Luca Orozco
* Paulo Henrique
* Javier Cetre
* Diego Gregori
* Jose Andres Ortiz
Jocoro
* Luis Acuna
* Germán Aguila
* Elmer Guity
* Junior Padilla
Municipal Limeno
* Éver Alvarado
* Luis Ángel Landín
* Juan de Alba
* Yair Delgadillo
Once Deportivo
* Victor Landazuri
* Camilo Delgado
* Manuel Murrillo
* Jomal Williams
* Kevin Chaurand
* Jhonathan Urrutia
Platense
* Raúl Peñaranda
* Ronaldinho Caicedo
* Luis Angel Rodriguez
* Pablo Gállego
* Wilber Arizala
* Sandro Melgarejo
* Eber Caicedo
* Jair Catuy
Santa Tecla
* Alejandro Frezzotti
* Adrian Toloza
* Gonzalo Tarifa
* Jeffersson Sierra
(player released beginning the Apertura season, Never played a game) (player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season) (player naturalized for the Clausura season) (player released beginning the Clausura season, Never played a game)