2002–03 Honduran Liga Nacional

The 2002–03 season in the Honduran Liga Nacional was the 37th edition since the intervention of the professional league in Honduran football. The season was divided into two halves (Apertura and Clausura) which ran from August 2002 to June 2003.^[1]

Liga Nacional

Season	2002–03
Champions	Apertura: Olimpia Clausura: Marathón
Relegated	Victoria
UNCAF Interclub Cup	Olimpia Marathón
Matches played	192
Goals scored	448 (2.33 per match)
Top goalscorer	Apertura: Marcelo Ferreira (15) Clausura: Denilson Costa (10) Pompilio Cacho (10) Luciano Emílio (10)
Biggest home win	Platense 5-0 Real Maya (11 August 2002)
Biggest away win	Vida 0-6 Marathón (5 April 2003)
← 2001–02 2003–04 → All statistics correct as of 1 June 2003.

2002–03 teams

• Honduras Salzburg (El Progreso) (promoted)
• Marathón (San Pedro Sula)
• Motagua (Tegucigalpa)
• Olimpia (Tegucigalpa)
• Platense (Tegucigalpa)
• Real España (San Pedro Sula)
• Real Maya / Real Patepluma (Comayagua)
• Universidad (Tegucigalpa)
• Victoria (La Ceiba)
• Vida (La Ceiba)

• Real Maya changed its name to Real Patepluma for the Clausura tournament and moved to Santa Bárbara.

Apertura

The Apertura tournament lasted from August to December 2002, C.D. Olimpia defeated C.D. Platense in the Final to secure its 16th league title.

Regular season

Results

As of 24 November 2002

Home \ Away	SAL	MAR	MOT	OLI	PLA	RES	MAY	UNI	VIC	VID
Honduras Salzburg		1–0	1–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	0–0	0–1	1–2
Marathón	1–1		2–0	1–1	1–3	0–0	1–0	3–0	2–0	1–1
Motagua	2–1	2–2		1–2	1–0	2–3	1–0	1–2	1–0	1–1
Olimpia	1–0	2–0	1–1		1–2	1–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	3–2
Platense	1–1	2–0	2–1	1–1		1–1	5–0	0–0	3–2	2–1
Real España	0–1	0–1	3–2	0–0	1–2		4–0	3–1	1–0	3–3
Real Maya	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–0	0–4	1–1		1–1	0–0	1–1
Universidad	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–0	2–2		2–1	2–0
Victoria	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–2	0–3	2–1	1–1	3–3		0–1
Vida	1–1	0–3	1–2	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	1–0	1–0

Source: RSSSF
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Platense	18	12	5	1	42	14	+28	41	Qualified to the Final round
2	Olimpia	18	7	10	1	25	17	+8	31
3	Marathón	18	7	7	4	22	16	+6	28
4	Real España	18	6	8	4	25	18	+7	26
5	Motagua	18	7	5	6	24	23	+1	26
6	Universidad	18	3	11	4	20	26	−6	19[a]
7	Vida	18	4	7	7	19	29	−10	19
8	Honduras Salzburg	18	3	9	6	19	22	−3	18
9	Real Maya	18	0	10	8	11	31	−20	14[b]
10	Victoria	18	2	6	10	10	15	−5	11[c]

Updated to match(es) played on 24 November 2002. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

1. Universidad were deducted one (-1) point.
2. Real Maya were added four (+4) points.
3. Victoria were deducted one (-1) point.

Final round

Semifinals

Platense vs Real España

Real España v Platense

28 November 2002 1st leg	Real España	0–2	Platense	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
18:00 (UTC−06:00)			Ferreira 19' 32'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano Attendance: 2,000

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Platense v Real España

1 December 2002 2nd leg	Platense	0–1	Real España	Puerto Cortés, Cortés
15:00 (UTC−06:00)			Emílio 57'	Stadium: Estadio Excélsior Attendance: 4,500

• Platense won 2–1 on aggregate score.

Olimpia vs Marathón

Marathón v Olimpia

28 November 2002 1st leg	Marathón	0–2	Olimpia	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
20:00 (UTC−06:00)			Bennett Bonilla	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

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Olimpia v Marathón

1 December 2002 2nd leg	Olimpia	0–1	Marathón	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)			Rosario	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

• Olimpia won 2–1 on aggregate score.

Final

Platense vs Olimpia

Olimpia v Platense

8 December 2002 1st leg	Olimpia	1–1	Platense	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)	Velásquez 38'		Medina 13'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Attendance: 22,000

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Platense v Olimpia

15 December 2002 2nd leg	Platense	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Olimpia	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
16:00 (UTC−06:00)	Tilguath 17'		Ferreira 71' (o.g.) Palacios 94'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano Attendance: 34,230

Platense

Olimpia

GK – Ricardo James RB – Elder Valladares CB 4 José Anthony Torres LB 3 Ángel Hill RM 10 Edgar Álvarez CM – Walter Hernández CM – Alex Andino LM – Reynaldo Tilguath RW – Clifford Laing CF 9 Marcelo Ferreira LW – Pablo Medina Substitutions: MF – Elmer Blanco DF – Derrick Hulse FW – Francisco Ramírez Manager: Alberto Romero

GK – Donaldo González RB – Wilson Palacios CB – Fabio Ulloa CB – Milton Palacios LB – Edwin Ávila CM 25 Óscar Bonilla CM – Maynor Suazo AM 18 Danilo Tosello RF – Denilson Costa CF 9 Juan Manuel Cárcamo LF 11 Wilmer Velásquez Substitutions: FW – Eduardo Bennett MF 15 Francis Reyes Manager: Juan Carlos Espinoza

• Olimpia won 3–2 on aggregate.

Liga Nacional 2002–03 Apertura Champion
Olimpia 16th title

Squads

Honduras Salzburg
Héctor "Tanqueta" Flores	Luis "Bombero" Ramírez	Carlos Escobar
Juan "Montuca" Castro	Luis Ramos	Jimmy González
Vinel Chamorro
Marathón
Carlos "Pupita" Güity	Mauricio Sabillón	Pompilio Cacho
Emil Martínez	Juan Pablo Centeno	Víctor Coello
Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández	Darwin Pacheco	Mario Berríos
Behiker Bustillo	Rubén Suazo	Luis Santamaría
Walter López	Anael Figueroa	Carlos Alberto Salinas
Elvis Scott	Luis Guifarro	Leonardo Morales
Mario López	Dennis Ferrera	Óscar Vargas
Jean Carles Rosario	Lenín Suárez	Orvin "Pato" Cabrera
David Cárcamo	Alfredo Cristino Jara	Lisandro Silva
Silvian López	David Cáceres	Ilich Arias
Motagua
Elmer Montoya	Júnior Izaguirre	Mauricio Castro
José Pacini	Noel Valladares	Carlos Oliva
Henry Enamorado	Nery Medina	Víctor Mena
Olimpia
Danilo Tosello	Donaldo González	Wilmer Velásquez
Donis Escober	Denilson Costa	Milton Palacios Suazo
Wilson Palacios	Hendry Thomas	Maynor Suazo
Hugo Caballero	Francis Reyes	José Luis Pineda
Juan Manuel Cárcamo	Eduardo Bennett	Juan Carlos Raudales
Óscar "Pescado" Bonilla	Edwin Yobani Ávila	Fabio Ulloa
Platense
Marcelo Ferreira	Jorge Zapata	Marvin Sánchez
Elmer Zelaya	Reynaldo Tilguath	Ricardo James
Edgar Álvarez	Clifford Laing	José Anthony Torres
Gustavo Scioscia	Pablo Medina	David Meléndez
Jorge Espinoza	Rony Morales	Ángel "Búfalo" Hill
Walter Hernández	Alex Andino	Elder Valladares
Derrick Hulse	Francisco Ramírez	Elmer Blanco
Real España
Nigel Zúniga	Marlon José Peña	Enrique Renau
Jaime Rosales	Rafael Betine	Milton "Chocolate" Flores
Júnior Morales	Erick Vallecillo	Sergio Mendoza
Luciano Emílio
Real Maya/Real Patepluma
Rony Flores	Cristino Bernárdez
Universidad
Jaime Ruíz
Victoria
Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales	John Bodden	Carlos Lino
Carlos Discua	Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga	Mario Chávez
José García	Luis Lagos	Carlos "Tatín" Morán
Pablo Bernárdez	Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda	Óscar Sorto
Hesler Phillips	Miguel "Gallo" Mariano	Carlos "Calolo" Palacios
Alex Roberto Bailey	Máximo Arzú	Wilmer Ramos
Vida
Jonathan Bush Sanders	Luis Perdomo	Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera
Jorge Ocampo

Jose Gonzales

Top goalscorers

15 goals

• Marcelo Ferreira (Platense)

11 goals

• Luciano Emílio (Real España)

6 goals

• Denilson Costa (Olimpia)

Clausura

The Clausura tournament was played from February to June 2003. C.D. Marathón took revenge a year and a half later and defeated C.D. Motagua in the finals to claim its 4th league title.

Regular season

Results

As of 10 May 2003

Home \ Away	SAL	MAR	MOT	OLI	PLA	RES	PAT	UNI	VIC	VID
Honduras Salzburg		1–0	2–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–0	0–0	0–2	3–1
Marathón	2–0		2–3	1–0	1–0	0–1	1–0	4–1	2–0	4–2
Motagua	2–0	0–1		2–3	0–0	0–0	2–1	0–0	0–0	0–1
Olimpia	1–0	4–1	0–2		3–3	3–1	1–0	1–0	4–2	4–1
Platense	2–1	3–2	1–1	2–3		0–1	0–0	0–2	1–1	0–1
Real España	3–0	1–1	0–0	1–0	0–3		3–1	1–1	2–1	1–1
Real Patepluma	2–0	0–4	0–1	1–1	0–1	1–0		0–1	0–0	2–2
Universidad	2–0	1–1	0–1	0–0	0–0	0–4	0–0		1–1	1–0
Victoria	2–2	0–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–3	3–1		3–2
Vida	2–0	0–6	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–3	1–0	1–0	3–1

Source: RSSSF
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Olimpia	18	10	5	3	32	19	+13	35	Qualified to the Final round
2	Marathón	18	10	3	5	33	17	+16	33
3	Real España	18	9	6	3	25	15	+10	33
4	Motagua	18	7	8	3	19	13	+6	29
5	Vida	18	7	4	7	24	30	−6	25
6	Platense	18	4	8	6	18	20	−2	20
7	Universidad	18	4	8	6	11	17	−6	20
8	Victoria	18	3	8	7	18	27	−9	17
9	Real Patepluma	18	3	6	9	11	18	−7	15
10	Honduras Salzburg	18	2	6	10	12	27	−15	12

Updated to match(es) played on 10 May 2003. Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Final round

Semifinals

Olimpia vs Motagua

Motagua v Olimpia

15 May 2003 1st leg	Motagua	2–2	Olimpia	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Bocco 74' Guerrero 84'		Tosello 12' Palacios 23'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Referee: Óscar Bardales

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Olimpia v Motagua

18 May 2003 2nd leg	Olimpia	0–2	Motagua	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)			Valladares 85' Martínez 90'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Attendance: 27,000

• Motagua won 4–2 on aggregate score.

Marathón vs Real España

Real España v Marathón

14 May 2003 1st leg	Real España	1–1	Marathón	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Jiménez 38'		Cacho 66'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

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Marathón v Real España

17 May 2003 2nd leg	Marathón	1–1	Real España	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
19:30 (UTC−06:00)	Fernández 71'		Betine 22'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano

• Marathón 2–2 Real España on aggregate score; Marathón advanced on better Regular season performance.

Final

Marathón vs Motagua

Motagua v Marathón

25 May 2003 1st leg	Motagua	0–1	Marathón	Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán
16:00 (UTC−06:00)			Martínez 65'	Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Attendance: 21,691 Referee: Óscar Bardales

Motagua

Marathón

GK – Henry Enamorado CB – Víctor Bernárdez CB – Jorge Lozano CB – Elmer Montoya RWB – Samir García LWB – Iván Guerrero CM – Faussy Rodríguez CM – Víctor Mena CM – Mauricio Castro SS 6 Pablo Bocco CF 8 Jairo Martínez Substitutions: MF – Francisco Pavón MF – Marlon Nolasco FW – Luis Oseguera Manager: Alejandro Domínguez

GK 1 Víctor Coello RB 23 Mauricio Sabillón CB 5 Darwin Pacheco CB 6 José Luis López LB 3 Behiker Bustillo RM – Walter López CM 20 Narciso Fernández CM 24 Luis Guifarro LM 7 Emil Martínez  66' CF 10 Denilson Costa CF 17 Pompilio Cacho Substitutions: MF – Daniel Muñoz FW 9 José Pacini MF – Carlos Güity Manager: Flavio Ortega

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Marathón v Motagua

1 June 2003 2nd leg	Marathón	3–1	Motagua	San Pedro Sula, Cortés
16:00 (UTC−06:00)	Cacho 44' Costa 60' 89'		Oseguera 40'	Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano Attendance: 35,745 Referee: Marcio Carranza

Marathón

Motagua

GK 1 Víctor Coello RB 23 Mauricio Sabillón CB 5 Darwin Pacheco CB 3 José Luis López LB 6 Behiker Bustillo RM – Walter López CM 20 Narciso Fernández CM 24 Luis Guifarro LM – Carlos Güity CF 10 Denilson Costa CF 17 Pompilio Cacho Substitutions: MF – Ilich Arias DF 4 Lenín Suárez Manager: Flavio Ortega

GK – Henry Enamorado RB – Samir García CB – Jorge Lozano CB – Elmer Montoya LB - Iván Guerrero RM – Víctor Mena CM – Robel Bernárdez CM – Francisco Pavón LM – Mauricio Castro CF – Luis Oseguera CF 8 Jairo Martínez Substitutions: MF 6 Pablo Bocco MF – Avidán Solís Manager: Alejandro Domínguez

• Marathón won 4–1 on aggregate score.

Liga Nacional 2002–03 Clausura Champion
Marathón 4th title

Squads

Honduras Salzburg
Héctor "Tanqueta" Flores	Luis "Bombero" Ramírez	Carlos Escobar
Juan "Montuca" Castro	Luis Ramos	Jimmy González
Vinel Chamorro
Marathón
Carlos "Pupita" Güity	Mauricio Sabillón	Pompilio Cacho
Emil Martínez	Hugo Caballero	Víctor Coello
Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández	Darwin Pacheco	Mario Berríos
Behiker Bustillo	José Luis López	Luis Santamaría
Walter López	Juan Manuel Zandoná	Carlos Alberto Salinas
Denilson Costa	Luis Guifarro	José Pacini
Lenín Suárez	Dennis Ferrera	Óscar Vargas
Leonardo Morales	Ilich Arias	David Cáceres
Antonio Arita
Motagua
Elmer Montoya	Júnior Izaguirre	Mauricio Castro
Pablo Bocco	Noel Valladares	Juan Raudales
Samir García	Jairo Martínez	Luis "Tanque" Oseguera
Avidán Solís	Francisco Pavón	Robel Bernárdez
Víctor Mena	Iván Guerrero	Henry Enamorado
Jorge "Tata" Lozano
Olimpia
Danilo Tosello	Donaldo González	Wilmer Velásquez
Donis Escober	Marcelo Ferreira	Milton Palacios Suazo
Wilson Palacios	Hendry Thomas	Maynor Suazo
Maynor Figueroa	Francis Reyes	José Luis Pineda
Jerry Palacios	Óscar "Pescado" Bonilla
Platense
Francisco Ramírez	Jorge Zapata	Marvin Sánchez
Elmer Zelaya	Reynaldo Tilguath	Ricardo James
Ángel "Búfalo" Hill	Clifford Laing	José Anthony Torres
Gustavo Scioscia	Pablo Medina	David Meléndez
Rony Morales	Jorge Espinoza
Real España
Nigel Zúniga	Marlon José Peña	Enrique Renau
Jaime Rosales	Rafael Betine	Milton "Chocolate" Flores
Júnior Morales	Erick Vallecillo	Luciano Emílio
Sergio Mendoza	Javier Martínez	Pedro Santana
Real Maya/Real Patepluma
Rony Flores	Cristino Bernárdez
Universidad
Jaime Ruíz	Diego Vásquez
Victoria
Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales	John Bodden	Carlos Lino
Carlos Discua	Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga	Mario Chávez
José García	Luis Lagos	Carlos "Tatín" Morán
Pablo Bernárdez	Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda	Óscar Sorto
Hesler Phillips	Miguel "Gallo" Mariano	Carlos "Calolo" Palacios
Alex Roberto Bailey	Máximo Arzú	Wilmer Ramos
Walter "Pery" Martínez	Marvin Morán	Marvin Chávez
Samir George	Ignacio Mejía	Johnny Rivera
Dionisio Bátiz	Carlos Mena	Marlon López
Norlan García
Vida
Jonathan Bush Sanders	Luis Perdomo	Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera
Jorge Ocampo	Saynor Álvarez	Víctor "Muma" Bernárdez

Top goalscorers

10 goals

• Luciano Emílio (Real España)
• Pompilio Cacho (C.D. Marathón)
• Denilson Costa (C.D. Marathón)

8 goals

• Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)

6 goals

• Pedro Santana (Real España)

6 goals

• Jairo Martínez (Motagua)
• José Pacini (Marathón)

5 goals

• Danilo Tosello (Olimpia)
• Luis Oseguera (Motagua)

4 goals

• Emil Martínez (Marathón)
• Francisco Ramírez (Platense)
• Marcelo Ferreira (Olimpia)
• Abidán Solís (Motagua)

3 goals

• Clifford Laing (Platense)

Relegation

Relegation was determined by the aggregated table of both Apertura and Clausura tournaments. On 10 May 2003, C.D. Victoria were relegated to Liga de Ascenso, however they bought Honduras Salzburg's franchise and stayed in first division.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Olimpia	36	17	15	4	57	36	+21	66
2	Platense	36	16	13	7	60	34	+26	61
3	Marathón	36	17	10	9	55	33	+22	61
4	Real España	36	15	14	7	50	33	+17	59
5	Motagua	36	14	13	9	43	36	+7	55
6	Vida	36	11	11	14	43	59	−16	44
7	Universidad	36	7	19	10	31	43	−12	39[a]
8	Honduras Salzburg	36	5	15	16	31	49	−18	30
9	Real Patepluma	36	3	16	17	22	49	−27	29[b]
10	Victoria	36	5	14	17	33	56	−23	28[c]	Relegation to the 2003–04 Liga de Ascenso

Updated to match(es) played on 10 May 2003. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

1. Universidad were deducted a total –1 point.
2. Real Patepluma were added a total +4 points.
3. Victoria were deducted a total –1 point.

Controversies

During the Apertura tournament, C.D. Marathón hosted Real C.D. España on week 9, the match was played on 28 September and ended with a 0–2 away win to Real España. During halftime, Real España delayed more than 15 minutes and returned late to play the second half. Marathón alleged and the Board of Discipline annulled the game. A rematch was played on 13 October ending in a 0–0 draw. Such decision affected the final standings which resulted in Marathón owning the third place and sent Real España to fourth.^[2]

References

1. RSSSF.com–Honduras 2002/03–11 December 2009
2. RadioHouse.hn–CASOS INSÓLITOS DEL FÚTBOL HONDUREÑO–13 October 2016