# 1997–98 Honduran Liga Nacional

In 1997–98 the Honduran Liga Nacional brought a new competition system; the league would be now divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura), having C.D. Motagua won their 6th and 7th title in this new format. The tournament lasted from August 1997 to October 1998 and it consisted of 11 teams for the first time since the 1981–82 season. The final match was played in the evening of 25 October, just a few hours before Hurricane Mitch landed in the coasts of Honduras.

## 1997–98 teams

* Independiente Villela (invited)
* Marathón
* Motagua
* Olimpia
* Palestino (promoted)
* Platense
* Real España
* Real Maya
* Universidad
* Victoria
* Vida

## Apertura
### Regular season

* Also serves as 1997 Honduran Cup.

#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Platense | 20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 42 | 26 | +16 | 38 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Motagua | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 17 | +6 | 37 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Olimpia | 20 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 36 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Marathón | 20 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 24 | +6 | 32 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Real España | 20 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 26 | +4 | 32 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 6 | Universidad | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 30 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 7 | Victoria | 20 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 25 | 28 | −3 | 24 | |
| 8 | Vida | 20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 31 | 33 | −2 | 23 | |
| 9 | Real Maya | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 29 | −4 | 18 | |
| 10 | Palestino | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 28 | 43 | −15 | 14 | |
| 11 | Independiente Villela | 20 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 42 | −23 | 11 | |
* ↑ Platense 1997 Honduran Cup champions as regular season winner.

#### Results

| Home \ Away | IND | MAR | MOT | OLI | PAL | PLA | RES | MAY | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Independiente Villela | | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Marathón | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Motagua | 2–1 | 0–1 | | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Olimpia | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Palestino | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 1–2 | | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Platense | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–2 | | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| Real España | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Real Maya | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 |
| Universidad | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Victoria | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | | 2–1 |
| Vida | 7–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | |

### Final round
#### Hexagonal

* Olimpia won 4–2 on aggregate.
* Motagua 1–1 Real España on aggregate. Motagua advanced on better Regular season record; Real España advanced as best loser.
* Platense 1–1 Universidad on aggregate; Platense advanced on better Regular season record.

#### Semifinals

* Real España won 3–1 on aggregate.
* Motagua 2–2 Olimpia on aggregate; Motagua advanced on better Regular season record.

#### Final

* Motagua won 5–1 on aggregate.

### Top goalscorers

19 goals
* Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
11 goals
* Juan Manuel Cárcamo (Platense)
7 goals
* Denilson Costa (Olimpia)
* Francisco Ramírez (Motagua)
* Marlon Hernández (Motagua)
6 goals
* Amado Guevara (Motagua)
* Alex Pineda Chacón (Olimpia)
5 goals
* Alexis Duarte (Marathón)
* Jairo Martínez (Motagua)
* Edwin Castro (Marathón)

## Clausura
### Regular season
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Olimpia | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 46 | 15 | +31 | 46 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Motagua | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 39 | 15 | +24 | 46 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Platense | 20 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 30 | +6 | 32 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Marathón | 20 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 30 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Real Maya | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 28 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 6 | Victoria | 20 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 26 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 7 | Vida | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 23 | |
| 8 | Real España | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 23 | |
| 9 | Palestino | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 20 | 38 | −18 | 18 | |
| 10 | Independiente Villela | 20 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 12 | |
| 11 | Universidad | 20 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 33 | −19 | 9 | |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | IND | MAR | MOT | OLI | PAL | PLA | RES | MAY | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Independiente Villela | | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Marathón | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 0–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Motagua | 6–1 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Olimpia | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–1 | | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–3 |
| Palestino | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| Platense | 5–3 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 |
| Real España | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Real Maya | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Universidad | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Victoria | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 1–1 |
| Vida | 5–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | |

### Final round
#### Hexagonal

* Olimpia 2–2 Victoria on aggregate; Olimpia advances on better performance in Regular season; Victoria advances as best loser.
* Platense 1–1 Marathón on aggregate; Platense advances on better performance in Regular season.
* Motagua won 5–2 on aggregate.

#### Semifinals

* Olimpia 2–2 Victoria on aggregate; Olimpia advances on better performance in Regular season.
* Motagua won 5–4 on aggregate.

#### Final

| Olimpia | Motagua |
96' :
| DF | – | José Fernández |
| DF | – | Gregorio Serrano |
| DF | – | Rudy Williams |
| DF | – | Merlyn Membreño |
| DF | – | Samuel Caballero |
| MF | – | José Romero |
| MF | – | Christian Santamaría |
| MF | – | Alex Pineda |
| FW | – | Denilson Costa |
| FW | – | Rodinei Martins |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | José Pineda |
| FW | – | Eduardo Arriola |
| GK | – | Donaldo González |
| Manager: |||
| José Herrera |||
Diego Vásquez :
| DF | 4 | Hernaín Arzú |
| DF | 5 | Milton Reyes |
| DF | 6 | Ninrrol Medina |
| DF | 12 | Iván Guerrero |
| DF | 13 | Reynaldo Clavasquín |
| MF | 8 | Juan Coello |
| MF | 20 | Amado Guevara |
| MF | – | Óscar Lagos |
| FW | 11 | José Ramírez |
| FW | 14 | Marlon Hernández |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Luis Guifarro |
| Manager: |||
| Ramón Maradiaga |||
* Motagua won 1–0 on aggregate.

### Top goalscorers

15 goals
* Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
* Amado Guevara (Motagua)
13 goals
* Denilson Costa (Olimpia)
8 goals
* Juan Manuel Cárcamo (Platense)
7 goals
* Marlon Hernández (Olimpia)
* Francisco Ramírez (Marathón)
* Rodinei Martins (Olimpia)
* Toninho (Marathón)
5 goals
* Alejandro Naíf (Victoria)
* Marvin Brown (Vida)
* Luis Ramírez (Independiente Villela)
2 goals
* Carlos Salinas (Motagua)
* Fabricio Pérez (Marathón)
1 goal
* Alexander Díaz (Real España)
* Enrique Reneau (Marathón)

## Relegation table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Motagua | 40 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 83 | Qualified to the 1998 Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica |
| 2 | Olimpia | 40 | 22 | 16 | 2 | 79 | 36 | +43 | 82 | Qualified to the 1998 Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica |
| 3 | Platense | 40 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 78 | 56 | +22 | 70 | |
| 4 | Marathón | 40 | 15 | 17 | 8 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 62 | |
| 5 | Real España | 40 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 54 | 52 | +2 | 55 | Qualified to the 1998 Torneo Grandes de Centroamerica |
| 6 | Victoria | 40 | 11 | 17 | 12 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 50 | |
| 7 | Vida | 40 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 57 | 59 | −2 | 46 | |
| 8 | Real Maya | 40 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 51 | 56 | −5 | 46 | |
| 9 | Universidad | 40 | 9 | 12 | 19 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 39 | |
| 10 | Palestino | 40 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 81 | −33 | 32 | Relegated to the Liga de Ascenso |
| 11 | Independiente Villela | 40 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 42 | 87 | −45 | 23 | Relegated to the Liga de Ascenso |
* ↑ Palestino and Independiente Villela relegated to the Liga de Ascenso.

## Squads

Independiente Villela :
| Wilmer Enrique "Supermán" Cruz | Marel Álvarez | Jorge Flores |
| José Luis “Pili” Aguirre | Martín Castro | Wilmer Roque |
| David Zambrano | Gustavo Gallegos | Mauricio Edgardo Figueroa |
| Danilo Velásquez | Arnold López | Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda |
| Henry Guevara | Iván Ponce | José "Picardía" Padilla |
| Luis Santamaría | Pablo Valencia | Gustavo Venegas |
| Sergio Bustos | Hernán Carusso | Hugo Aguilar |
| Irineo Núñez | Óscar "Pando" Gómez | Edgardo Emilson Soto Fajardo |
| Leonardo Isaula | Gustavo Olaíndia | Mario Obulgen |
| Iván Nolasco | Mariano "Tierno" Ramírez | Francisco Sandoval |
| Walter Amador | Édgar Fajardo | Édgar Delgado |
| José Zaldívar | Luis "Bombero" Ramírez | Noé Argueta |
| Palestino |||
| Dangelo Bautista | Wilmer Centeno | Javier Padilla |
| Ricardo Pérez | Wilson Castellanos | Cristino Bernárdez |
| Marvin Mazariegos | Selvin Sánchez | Walter “Gualala” Trejo |
| Raúl Trejo | Luis Perdomo | Marcos Pitío |
| Carlos Mathis | Enrique Carías | Carlos Gotay |
| Carlos González | James Chewitt | Yerco Salinas |
| Gustavo Cálix | Marvin Morán | Rubén Cantarero |
| Óscar Hurtarte | Carlos Ellis | Juan Carlos Salinas |
| Juan Carlos Canchimbo | Juan Ramón Hernández | Mario Guerrero |
| Israel Bernárdez | Marvin "Mango" Henríquez | Edward Barahona |
| Danilo "Pollo" Galindo | Osmar Vargas | Iván Elías |
| Martín Álvarez | Claudio Chasior | Gustavo Steimbach |
| Evelio Barralaga | Felipe Valerio | Nicole Watson |
| Jorge García | Henry Enamorado | David Flores |
| Hudell Thompson | Neptally Romero | Aldo Fuentes |
| Allan Villegas |
| Motagua |||
| Diego Martin Vásquez | Ninrod Madina | Hernain Arzu |
| Reinaldo Clavasquin | Arón Hernandez | Juan Manuel "Gato" Coello |
| Milton "Jocon" Reyes | Amado "Lobo" Guevara | Juan Carlos Raudales |
| Roberto Asprilla | Marlon "Pitufo" Hernández | Luis "Chamaquito" Guifarro |
| Presley Carson Woods | Jairo Manfredo Martinez | Francisco "Pancho Ra" Ramirez |
| Ariel Leyes | Oscar "Mexicano" Lagos | Ivan Guerrero |
| Olimpia |||
| Donaldo González | Nerlin Membreño | Favio Ulloa |
| Samuel Caballero | Alberto Güity | Gregorio Serrano |
| Jose Luis "Flaco" Pineda | Nahun Espinoza | Dolmo Flores |
| Silvio Traverso | Denilson Costa de Oliveira | Wilmer Velasquez |
| Eduardo Arriola Carter | Cesar Henriquez | Nolberto Martinez |
| Ramon Romero "Romerito" |
| Platense |||
| Ricardo James | Rony Morales | Anthony "El Caballo de Hierro" Torres |
| Limber Perez | Marco Antonio Mejía | Jorge Arita Neals |
| Robel Bernardez | Roberto bernardez | Abel Rodriguez |
| Julio Cesar "Rambo" D. Leon | José Luis "Runga" Piota | Carlos Da Silva |
| Juan Manuel Carcamo | Gustavo Fuentes | Hernan Centeno Batiz |
| Real Maya |||
| Marvin Fonseca | Luis Lagos | Hector Amaya |
| Leonardo Svagher | Lenin Suárez | Edgar Sierra |
| David Carcamo | Jose "Flaco" Hernandez | Geovany "Yura" Rochez |
| Claudio Sanchez | Nelson Rosale | Guillermo Ramirez |
| Luis Enrique "Gavilan" Calix | Elvis "Chusa" Castellanos | Alberto Guity |
| Real España |||
| Milton "Chocolate" Flores | Javier Rodríguez | Jaime Ruiz |
| Luis Lopez Zelaya | Marco Vinicio "Chacal" Ortega | Camilo "Tin Tin" Bonilla Paz |
| Diego Fernandez | Miguel Fernandez | Edgar Figueroa |
| César Clother | Marlon Monge | Mario Rodríguez |
| Norman Martínez | Ricky Denis García | Francis Reyes |
| Orvin Cabrera | Jorge Zapata | Alexander Díaz |
| Miguel Angel "Gallo" Mariano | Rodolfo Richardson Smith | S. Alderete |
| Universidad |||
| Damian Garofalo | Guillermo César Sumich | Troy Andrerson |
| Miguel Arcangel Guity | Daniel Aquino | Amidanan Lainez |
| Juan Rosa Lagos | Martin Sirimarco | Hector Leonel Rodriguez |
| Claudio del Barco | D. Bonilla | Camilo Bonilla Ocampo |
| Rony Zelaya | Jorge "Avioneta" Martinez | Raul Dolmo |
| Victoria |||
| Carlos Pronno | Javier Martinez | Raul Martinez Sambula |
| Renán Cristino Bengoché | Fabricio Pérez | Francisco Antonio Pavón |
| Hernan Funez | Jose Garcia | Erick Dario Fú |
| cesar "Nene" Obando | Byron Suazo | Alejandro "Turco" Naif |
| Persibal Piggot | Mauricio Edgardo Figueroa | Alvaro Izquierdo |

## Curiosities

On 12 July 1998, the league scheduled a match between Palestino F.C. and Universidad at Estadio Miraflores. The game which started at 14:00 local time, was played at the same time of the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Brazil. The match which ended 2–0 to Palestino, was witnessed by 55 loyal fans, an outstanding record.