The 2006 Categoría Primera B season, officially known as the 2006 Copa Premier for sponsorship reasons, was the 17th season of Colombia's second-tier football league Categoría Primera B since its founding. The competition began on 11 February and ended on 29 November 2006. La Equidad were the champions, winning both of the season's short tournaments to claim their first Primera B title as well as promotion to Categoría Primera A.
Format The season was divided into two tournaments: Torneo I and Torneo II. In both tournaments, the 18 participating teams were drawn into two groups of nine teams each, with teams playing all teams in their group as well as one team from the other group twice. In Torneo I, the groups were formed by geographical criteria, grouping nearby teams, while in the second tournament of the season, geographical rivals were assigned to different groups. The top two teams of each group advanced to a final group stage which was also played in a double round-robin fashion. The winners of both of the season's tournaments would face each other in the season's grand final, with the champion being promoted at the end of the season and the runner-up playing the promotion/relegation playoff, which was implemented starting from this season.
Teams 18 teams took part in the competition in this season. The 2005 Primera B champions Cúcuta Deportivo, who were promoted to Categoría Primera A, were replaced by Unión Magdalena, relegated from the top flight in the previous season. Prior to the start of the season, Florida Soccer was sold and moved to Montería, becoming Córdoba F.C., Bello F.C. was renamed Atlético Bello, and Dépor F.C. relocated from Cartago, Valle del Cauca to Jamundí, in the same department.
ClubCityStadiumCapacity Academia Bogotá Compensar 4,500 Alianza Petrolera Barrancabermeja Daniel Villa Zapata 8,000 Atlético Bello Bello Tulio Ospina 12,000 Bajo Cauca Caucasia Orlando Aníbal Monroy 4,000 Barranquilla Barranquilla Romelio Martínez 10,000 Bogotá Bogotá Alfonso López Pumarejo 12,000 Centauros Villavicencio Manuel Calle Lombana 15,000 Córdoba Cereté Alberto Saibis Saker 12,000 Cortuluá Tuluá Doce de Octubre 16,000 Dépor Jamundí Cacique Jamundí 3,500 Deportivo Rionegro Rionegro Alberto Grisales 14,000 Expreso Rojo Sincelejo Arturo Cumplido Sierra 5,000 Cartagena Pedro de Heredia 10,000 Girardot Girardot Luis Antonio Duque Peña 15,000 La Equidad Soacha Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento 8,000 Patriotas Tunja La Independencia 8,500 Pumas de Casanare Yopal Santiago de las Atalayas 10,000 Unión Magdalena Santa Marta Eduardo Santos 22,000 Valledupar Valledupar Armando Maestre Pavajeau 10,000 Notes
Torneo I First stage Group A
Group B
Cuadrangular Final
Torneo II First stage Group A
Group B
Cuadrangular Final
Finals The final series was canceled after La Equidad won the season's two short tournaments, promoting directly to Categoría Primera A.
Runners-up playoff Given the cancellation of the final series, a playoff series between Valledupar and Cortuluá, runners-up of the Torneo I and Torneo II, respectively, was played to decide the team that would advance to the promotion/relegation playoff.
Valledupar won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the promotion/relegation playoff.
Promotion/relegation playoff As the second worst team in the 2006 Categoría Primera A season's relegation table, Atlético Huila had to play a two-legged tie against Valledupar, the runners-up playoff winner. Atlético Huila, who played the second leg at home as the Primera A team, won both matches of the series and ensured their continuity in Primera A for the 2007 season, while Valledupar remained in Primera B.
Atlético Huila won 3–0 on aggregate and both teams remained in their respective leagues.
Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Eric CantilloPumas de Casanare 22 2 Fredys ArrietaBarranquilla 21 3 Roberto PoloCortuluá 19 4 Mario Sergio AnguloUnión Magdalena 16
Source: Historia del Fútbol Profesional Colombiano 70 Años
References
External links Official Site of Primera B (Spanish) Web of Primera B in Dimayor History of Primera B