League champions are crowned all over Central America. Here's a review of recent action:
BELIZE
Placencia Assassins won the newly formed Belize Premier League, 3-2 on aggregate over Police United (2-1 and 1-1). However, Placencia will not participate in next season's CONCACAF Champions League as there are no stadiums in the country with sufficient lighting to host night matches. I had thought that FIFA had approved the new FFB Stadium for international matches, but this article on Amandala Online states that FIFA had given the stadium a failing grade but that report was not revealed to the new FFB leadership until very recently.
COSTA RICA
Herediano won their 22nd Costa Rican league championship by defeating Santos de Guápiles 6-3 on aggregate (4-2 home, 2-1 away) in the Verano final. Herediano have won more championships than any team not named Saprissa or Alajuelense in the country, but this title was their first one in 19 years. They will join Alajuelense in the Champions League in August.
EL SALVADOR
Season complete. Águila are champions of the Salvadoran Clausura.
GUATEMALA
Xelajú won the Guatemalan Clausura (and their 5th league title) today, defeating Municipal 3-1 on penalties after the final ended 2-2 on aggregate. Xelajú and Municipal will represent Guatemala in the Champions League. Comunicaciones, who led the regular season table by a large margin, were left out in the cold after falling to Municipal in the semifinal round.
HONDURAS
Olimpia completed a clean sweep of the Honduran tournaments this season after defeating Marathón 1-0 in the Clausura final series (0-0 in SPS, 1-0 in Tegucigalpa). The winning goal was scored by Douglas Caetano, which Marathón players and officials protested was scored from an offside position. In addition to the bicampeonato, it's a quarter-century of league titles for the Honduran giants. Olimpia and Marathón will be in next season's CCL.
NICARAGUA
Real Estelí swept the Nicaraguan tournaments after routing Diriangén 6-1 on aggregate (3-0 away, 3-1 home) in the final. Estelí had already locked up Nicaragua's lone spot in the CCL with their superior regular-season record, and confirmed their status as the best club in the country with their finals triumph. It is their 12th league title.
PANAMA
Tonight's Clausura final between Tauro and Chepo has been suspended due to torrential rains at Estadio Rommel Fernández. It will be played on Tuesday night. The winner of the final will join Chorrillo in next season's CCL.
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