# 2016–17 Premier League of Belize

The 2016–17 Premier League of Belize was the sixth season of the highest competitive football league in Belize, after it was founded in 2011. There were two seasons which were spread over two years. The opening was played towards the end of 2016 and the closing was played at the beginning of 2017.

## Team information

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Belize Defence Force | Belize City | MCC Grounds |
| Belmopan Bandits | Belmopan | Isidoro Beaton Stadium |
| FC Belize | Belize City | MCC Grounds |
| Freedom Fighters | Punta Gorda | Victor Sanchez Union Field |
| Orange Walk | Orange Walk | People's Stadium |
| Placencia Assassins | Independence | Michael Ashcroft Stadium |
| Police United | San Ignacio | Norman Broaster Stadium |
| Verdes | San Ignacio | Norman Broaster Stadium |
| Wagiya | Dangriga | Carl Ramos Stadium |

## Opening season

From the 2015–16 Premier League of Belize season, all 6 teams continued to play in the opening season of 2016–17. FC Belize and Freedom Fighters returned to the league, as well as a newly formed team, Orange Walk, making 9 teams in total.
There would be one league consisting of the 9 teams, who will play each other twice, with the top 4 teams advancing to the end of season playoffs. The opening season commenced on 20 August 2016.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Belmopan Bandits (C) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 11 | +34 | 40 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 2 | Belize Defence Force | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 31 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 3 | Police United | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 21 | +18 | 28 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 4 | FC Belize | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 22 | +8 | 28 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 5 | Placencia Assassins | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 21 | +13 | 25 | |
| 6 | Verdes | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 24 | +3 | 24 | |
| 7 | Wagiya | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 26 | 42 | −16 | 11 | |
| 8 | Freedom Fighters | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 44 | −20 | 11 | |
| 9 | Orange Walk | 16 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 76 | −56 | 3 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BDF | BEL | FCB | FRE | ORA | PLA | POL | VER | WAG |
| Belize Defence Force | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Belmopan Bandits | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 4–1 | 9–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| FC Belize | 0–2 | 0–3 | | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Freedom Fighters | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | | 5–2 | 0–2 | 3–6 | 0–2 | 3–0 |
| Orange Walk | 1–5 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 1–3 | | 0–7 | 0–9 | 0–6 | 4–3 |
| Placencia Assassins | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Police United | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 3–2 | 3–1 |
| Verdes | 2–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 2–1 |
| Wagiya | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 6–2 | 2–5 | 1–2 | 2–0 | |

### Playoffs

| Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Belmopan Bandits | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | FC Belize | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 4 | FC Belize | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Belmopan Bandits | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| | | | | | 2 | Belize Defence Force | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Belize Defence Force (a) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Belize Defence Force | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Police United | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | |

#### Semi-finals

Game One
Game Two

#### Finals

Game One
Game Two
* 2016–17 Opening Season champions
* Belmopan Bandits 6th title

### Season statistics
#### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Team | Goals$^*$ |
| 1 | Jairo Rochez | Belmopan Bandits | 14 |
| 2 | Dellon Torres | Placencia Assassins | 12 |
| 3 | Jarret Davis | Verdes | 11 |
| 3 | Aloisio Teixeira | Belmopan Bandits | 11 |
| 5 | Jaren Lambey | Freedom Fighters | 10 |
| 6 | Hector Martinez | FC Belize | 9 |
| 6 | Carlton Thomas | Police United | 9 |
| 8 | Ashton Torres | Placencia Assassins | 8 |
| 9 | Russell Cassanova | FC Belize | 7 |
| 9 | Joao Silva | Orange Walk | 7 |
| 9 | Vallan Symms | Belize Defence Force | 7 |
| 12 | Jeromy James | Belmopan Bandits | 6 |
| 12 | Harrison Roches | Police United | 6 |
$^*$ Includes playoff goals.

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Dellon Torres$^4$ | Placencia Assassins | Orange Walk | 7–0 (A) | 28 August 2016 |
| Russell Cassanova | FC Belize | Orange Walk | 4–2 (H) | 28 September 2016 |
| Carlton Thomas | Police United | Freedom Fighters | 6–3 (A) | 30 October 2016 |
| Jairo Rochez$^4$ | Belmopan Bandits | Orange Walk | 9–2 (H) | 19 November 2016 |
| Hector Martinez | FC Belize | Freedom Fighters | 6–1 (A) | 4 December 2016 |
$^4$ Player scored 4 goals

### Awards

In the post-game ceremonies of the final game of the season, the individual awards were announced.
| Award | Recipient | Team |
| Golden Boot | Jairo Rochez | Belmopan Bandits |
| MVP (Regular Season) | Shane Orio | Belmopan Bandits |
| MVP (Playoff) | Jordy Polanco | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Young Player | Jaren Lambey | Freedom Fighters |
| Best Midfielder | Jordy Polanco | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Defender | Elroy Smith | Belmopan Bandits |
| Golden Glove | Shane Orio | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Coach | Kent Gabourel | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Manager | Kenneth Budna | Belmopan Bandits |

## Closing season

8 of the 9 teams that participated in the opening season will participate in the closing season, with Orange Walk not competing.
The format will be the same as the opening season with one league consisting of the 8 teams, who will play each other twice, with the top 4 teams advancing to the end of season playoffs. The closing season commenced on 28 January 2017.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Belmopan Bandits (C) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 8 | +31 | 36 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 2 | Police United | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 27 | 15 | +12 | 25 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 3 | Verdes | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 25 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 4 | Belize Defence Force | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 21 | +5 | 23 | Qualification to the Playoffs |
| 5 | FC Belize | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 16 | |
| 6 | Placencia Assassins | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 22 | −5 | 13 | |
| 7 | Freedom Fighters | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 32 | −15 | 11 | |
| 8 | Wagiya | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 47 | −30 | 5 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BDF | BEL | FCB | FRE | PLA | POL | VER | WAG |
| Belize Defence Force | | 0–4 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 6–0 |
| Belmopan Bandits | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 11–0 |
| FC Belize | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Freedom Fighters | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 4–2 |
| Placencia Assassins | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Police United | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Verdes | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 5–3 |
| Wagiya | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | |

### Playoffs

| Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Belmopan Bandits | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | Belize Defence Force | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| 4 | Belize Defence Force | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Belmopan Bandits | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | | | 3 | Verdes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Police United | 0 | 2 | 2 (7) | 3 | Verdes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Verdes (p) | 2 | 0 | 2 (8) | | | | | |

#### Semi-finals

Game One
Game Two

#### Finals

Game One
Game Two
* 2016–17 Closing Season champions
* Belmopan Bandits 7th title

### Season statistics
#### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Team | Goals$^*$ |
| 1 | Daniel Jimenez | Police United | 10 |
| 1 | Jairo Rochez | Belmopan Bandits | 10 |
| 3 | Brian Martinez | Belize Defence Force | 9 |
| 4 | Luis Torres | Placencia Assassins | 8 |
| 5 | Aloisio Teixeira | Belmopan Bandits | 7 |
| 6 | Highking Roberts | Belmopan Bandits | 6 |
| 7 | Jarret Davis | Verdes | 5 |
| 7 | Shane Flores | Belize Defence Force | 5 |
| 7 | Jaren Lambey | Freedom Fighters | 5 |
| 7 | Hector Martinez | FC Belize | 5 |
| 11 | Jeromy James | Belmopan Bandits | 4 |
| 11 | Alexander Peters | Freedom Fighters | 4 |
| 11 | Elroy Smith | Belmopan Bandits | 4 |
| 11 | Carlton Thomas | Police United | 4 |
| 11 | Gilroy Thurton | Verdes | 4 |
$^*$ Includes playoff goals.

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Brian Martinez | Belize Defence Force | Wagiya | 6–0 (H) | 29 January 2017 |
| Highking Roberts$^4$ | Belmopan Bandits | Wagiya | 11–0 (H) | 1 March 2017 |
| Aloisio Teixeira | Belmopan Bandits | Freedom Fighters | 4–1 (H) | 8 April 2017 |
$^4$ Player scored 4 goals

### Awards

In the post-game ceremonies of the final game of the season, the individual awards were announced.
| Award | Recipient | Team |
| Golden Boot (Regular Season) | Daniel Jimenez | Police United |
| Golden Boot (Overall) | Daniel Jimenez | Police United |
| Golden Boot (Overall) | Jairo Rochez | Belmopan Bandits |
| MVP (Regular Season) | Daniel Jimenez | Police United |
| MVP (Playoff) | Ian Gaynair | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Young Player | Rene Leslie | Placencia Assassins |
| Best Midfielder | Denmark Casey Jr. | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Defender | Elroy Smith | Belmopan Bandits |
| Golden Glove | Shane Orio | Belmopan Bandits |
| Best Coach | Marvin Ottley | Verdes |
| Best Manager | Lorin Frazer | Verdes |