2021–22 Liga Nacional de Guatemala

Football league season
Liga Nacional de Guatemala
Season2021–22
ChampionsApertura:
Malacateco (1st title)
Clausura:
Comunicaciones (31st title)
RelegatedNueva Concepción
Sololá
CONCACAF LeagueMalacateco
Comunicaciones
Municipal
Top goalscorerApertura:
Matías Rotondi
- 15 Goals
Clausura:
Isaac Acuña
- 12 goals
Biggest home winApertura:
Malacateco 7-1 Iztapa
Clausura:
Santa Lucía 8-1 Nueva Concepción
Biggest away winApertura:
Sololá 0-4 Comunicaciones
Clausura:
Nueva Concepción 1-5 Iztapa
Longest unbeaten runApertura:
(10 Games) Santa Lucía
Clausura:
(8 Games) Guastatoya
Longest winless runApertura:
(7 Games) Achuapa
Clausura:
(9 Games) Sololá

The 2021–22 Liga Nacional de Guatemala season was the 24th season of the Liga Nacional de Guatemala, the top football league in Guatemala, in which the Apertura and Clausura season is used. The season began on 30 July 2021 and ended on 29 May 2022.

Team Information

A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 10 sides from the 2020–21 Guatemala Liga Nacional and 2 promoted from the 2020–21 Primera División.

Sacachispas and Sanarate were relegated to 2020–21 Primera División the previous season.

The relegated team were replaced by the 2020–21 Primera División winners Nueva Concepción and Sololá.

Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Primera División de Ascenso as of August 2021.

Relegated to Primera División de Ascenso as of August 2021.

Personnel and sponsoring

Team Chairman Head Coach Captain Kitmaker Shirt Sponsors
Achuapa Guatemala Francisco Zepeda Mexico Adrián García Arias (interim) Guatemala Juan Cardona NS Sport Claro, Banrural, Domino's, Tellioz, Gallo
Antigua Guatemala Víctor Hugo García Guatemala Dwight Pezzarossi (interim) Guatemala Cristian Jiménez Joma Tigo, Banrural, Betcris, Domino's, Glucosoral, Mercedes-Benz, Bridgestone
Cobán Imperial Guatemala Irasema Meléndez Argentina Sebastián Bini Brazil Janderson NetSportswear Tigo, Pepsi, Bantrab, Gatorade, Domino's, Mayafert
Comunicaciones Guatemala Juan Garcia Uruguay Willy Coito Olivera Guatemala José Contreras Nino Tigo, Banrural, Gatorade, Pepsi, Zeta Gas
Guastatoya Guatemala Léster Rodríguez Nicaragua Mario Acevedo Guatemala Wilson Pineda NetSportswear Claro, Banrural, Sistecom, Cementos Progreso, Canal 3
Iztapa Guatemala Mario Mejía Colombia Richard Parra Mexico Carlos Kamiani Félix TutoSport Tigo, Banrural, Starbus
Malacateco Guatemala Carlos Gutiérrez Mexico Roberto Hernández Guatemala Sixto Betancourt Silver Sport Claro, Betcris, Coca-Cola, Starbus, Z Gas
Municipal Guatemala Gerardo Villa Paraguay José Cardozo Guatemala Ricardo Jérez Umbro Claro, Banrural, Bremen, Pepsi, Herbalife
Nueva Concepción Guatemala Ezequiel Orellana Guatemala Adrián Barrios Colombia Jonathan Muñoz Jama Claro, Corporación Smith, Bazar Popular
Sololá Guatemala Jahiro Otzoy Argentina Silvio Rudman Costa Rica Víctor Bolivar NovaSport Tigo, Shell, Colua
Santa Lucía Guatemala Rodolfo Puertas Argentina Matías Tatangelo Brazil Thales Moreira NetSportswear Claro, Banrural, Domino’s, Sistecom, Azúcar de Guatemala
Xelajú Guatemala Francisco Santos Mexico Irving Rubirosa Guatemala Héctor Moreira MR Tigo, Banrural, Domino's, Pepsi, Shell, Gatorade, Zeta Gas

Managerial Changes

Beginning of the season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Achuapa Chile Sergio Pardo Resigned May 2021 Uruguay Gustavo Machaín May 2021 th (Apertura 2021)
Comunicaciones Argentina Mauricio Tapia Resigned June 2021 Uruguay Willy Coito Olivera June 2021 th (Apertura 2021)
Municipal Argentina Sebastián Bini Sacked May 2021 Paraguay José Cardozo May 2021 th (Apertura 2021)
Malacateco Costa Rica Rónald Gómez Resigned May 2021 Argentina Matías Tatangelo May 2021 th (Apertura 2021)

During the Apertura season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Achuapa Uruguay Gustavo Machaín Sacked August 21 Mexico Raúl Arias August 22 10th (Apertura 2021)
Malacateco Argentina Matías Tatangelo Sacked August 22 Mexico Roberto Hernández August 26 12th (Apertura 2021)
Guastatoya Guatemala Rafael Díaz Sacked August 29 Mexico Daniel Guzmán August 29 9th (Apertura 2021)
Cobán Imperial Guatemala Fabricio Benítez Sacked September 22 Argentina Sebastián Bini September 22 12th (Apertura 2021)
Xelajú Guatemala Marcó Antonio Morales Mutual agreement termination October 18 Mexico Irving Rubirosa October 20 6th (Apertura 2021)
Nueva Concepción Guatemala Manuel Castañeda Resigned October 25 Paraguay Gustavo Bobadilla October 28 12th (Apertura 2021)
Sololá Guatemala Marvin Hernández Sacked November 2 Guatemala Rafael Díaz November 2 9th (Apertura 2021)
Guastatoya Mexico Daniel Guzmán Resigned December 1 Guatemala Josué Omar Morales (interim) December 2 9th (Apertura 2021)

Pre-Clausura changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Nueva Concepción Paraguay Gustavo Bobadilla Mutual agreement termination December 8 Guatemala Irving Olivares December 8 12th
Santa Lucía Nicaragua Mario Acevedo Resigned December 24 Guatemala Juan Manuel Funes December 29 Preseason
Guastatoya Guatemala Josué Omar Morales (interim) End of interim spell December 27 Nicaragua Mario Acevedo December 27 Preseason

During the Clausura season

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Nueva Concepción Guatemala Irving Olivares Sacked February 5 Guatemala Adrián Barrios February 8 12th (Clausura 2022)
Santa Lucía Guatemala Juan Manuel Funes Sacked February 12 Argentina Matías Tatangelo February 15 8th (Clausura 2022)
Sololá Guatemala Rafael Díaz Mutual agreement termination February 15 Argentina Silvio Rudman February 17 12th (Clausura 2022)
Achuapa Mexico Raúl Arias Mutual agreement termination February 20 Mexico Adrian Arias (interim) February 23 11th (Clausura 2022)
Antigua Mexico Roberto Montoya Sacked March 3 Guatemala Dwight Pezzarossi (interim) March 4 5th (Clausura 2022)
Iztapa Argentina Ramiro Cepeda Resigned March 20 Colombia Richard Parra March 21 10th (Clausura 2022)
Xelajú Mexico Irving Rubirosa Mutual agreement termination May 13 Guatemala Amarini Villatoro May 24 10th (Clausura 2022)

Apertura

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Antigua 22 14 4 4 36 13 +23 46 Qualification for the Championship Playoffs
2 Comunicaciones 22 13 5 4 37 19 +18 44
3 Municipal 22 11 6 5 30 15 +15 39
4 Malacateco 22 10 6 6 36 23 +13 36
5 Santa Lucía 22 8 12 2 28 25 +3 36
6 Xelajú 22 8 6 8 18 32 −14 30
7 Iztapa 22 8 4 10 21 32 −11 28
8 Sololá 22 6 7 9 21 32 −11 25
9 Guastatoya 22 5 8 9 18 23 −5 23
10 Cobán Imperial 22 5 5 12 22 31 −9 20
11 Achuapa 22 3 7 12 12 24 −12 16
12 Nueva Concepción 22 4 4 14 12 36 −24 16
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Matches won; 6) Away matches won; 7) Away goals scored.

Championship Playoffs

Final

First leg
Malacateco2-0Comunicaciones
Eduardo Rotondi 39'
Wilson Godoy 71'
[] Nil
Estadio Municipal Santa Lucía, Malacatán
Referee: Mario Escobar
Second leg
Comunicaciones0-0Malacateco
Nil Nil
Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City
Referee: Julio Cesar Luna


 Apertura 2021 champions 
Malacateco
1st title

Clausura

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Comunicaciones 22 12 5 5 39 24 +15 41 Qualification for the Championship Playoffs
2 Municipal 22 12 4 6 34 18 +16 40
3 Guastatoya 22 10 7 5 32 18 +14 37
4 Malacateco 22 9 8 5 29 22 +7 35
5 Cobán Imperial 22 9 7 6 29 25 +4 34
6 Antigua 22 9 6 7 33 22 +11 33
7 Achuapa 22 9 6 7 29 25 +4 33
8 Santa Lucía 22 8 4 10 36 27 +9 28
9 Iztapa 22 7 7 8 30 31 −1 28
10 Xelajú 22 6 5 11 17 31 −14 23
11 Sololá 22 3 6 13 19 46 −27 15
12 Nueva Concepción 22 4 3 15 21 57 −36 15
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Matches won; 6) Away matches won; 7) Away goals scored.

Championship Playoffs

Final

First leg
Municipal0–1Comunicaciones
Estadio El Trébol, Guatemala City
Second leg
Comunicaciones1–0Municipal
Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City


 Clausura 2022 champions 
Comunicaciones
31st title

Aggregate table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Comunicaciones 44 25 10 9 76 43 +33 85 CONCACAF League round of 16[a]
2 Antigua 44 23 10 11 69 37 +32 79
3 Municipal 44 23 10 11 64 33 +31 79 CONCACAF League preliminary round[b]
4 Malacateco 44 19 14 11 65 45 +20 71 CONCACAF League preliminary round[c]
5 Santa Lucía 44 16 16 12 64 52 +12 64
6 Guastatoya 44 15 15 14 50 41 +9 60
7 Iztapa 44 15 11 18 51 63 −12 56
8 Cobán Imperial 44 14 12 18 51 56 −5 54
9 Xelajú 44 14 11 19 29 63 −34 53
10 Deportivo Achuapa 44 12 13 19 41 49 −8 49
11 Sololá 44 9 13 22 40 78 −38 40 Relegated to Primera División de Ascenso
12 Nueva Concepción 44 8 7 29 33 93 −60 31
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. ^ As Clausura champions (GUA1)
  2. ^ As runners-up with better aggregate record (GUA3)
  3. ^ As Apertura champions (GUA2)

List of Foreign Players

This is a list of foreign players in 2021-2022 season. The following players:

  1. have played at least one apertura game for the respective club.
  2. have not been capped for the Guatemala national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace. [3] Archived 2018-07-29 at the Wayback Machine

A new rule was introduced a few season ago, that clubs can only have five foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or player/s is released.

Achuapa

Antigua

  • Mexico Antonio López
  • Costa Rica José Mena
  • Costa Rica Alexander Robinson
  • Honduras Juan Yax
  • Honduras Santos Crisanto
  • Peru Julio García
  • Brazil Romario da Silva
  • Paraguay Pedro Báez
  • Colombia Deyner Padilla

Cobán Imperial

Comunicaciones

Guastatoya

Iztapa

  • Argentina Nicolás Foglia
  • Argentina Christian Hernández
  • Argentina Gianluca Conforti
  • Mexico Carlos Kamiani Felix
  • Costa Rica Jordan Smith
  • Costa Rica Manfred Russell
  • Costa Rica Anllel Porras

Malacateco

  • Uruguay Darío Silva
  • Uruguay Enzo Herrera x
  • Mexico Elmer Morales
  • Costa Rica Kenneth Cerdas
  • Brazil Lucas Ventura
  • Ecuador Diego Avila

Municipal

Nueva Concepción

  • Brazil Aelcio dos Santos
  • Colombia Jonathan Muñoz
  • Colombia Jhon Balanta
  • Argentina Bruno Mariani
  • Argentina Leandro Martin
  • Mexico Darío Carreño

Santa Lucía

  • Brazil Thales Moreira
  • Venezuela Charles Martínez
  • Mexico Isaac Acuna
  • Mexico Omar Morales
  • Colombia Juan Osorio
  • Argentina Facundo Aranda

Sololá

Xelajú

  • Uruguay Rafael García
  • Paraguay Orlando Moreira
  • Nicaragua Juan Barrera
  • Argentina Alejandro Díaz
  • Colombia Jesús Arrieta

External links

  • https://lared.com.gt/deportes/futbol/liga-nacional/
  • https://www.guatevision.com/etiqueta/futbol-guatemala/
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