The 2016–17 Primera División de El Salvador (also known as the Liga Pepsi) is the 18th season and 35th and 36th tournament of El Salvador's Primera División since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. Alianza and Dragón were the defending champions of the Apertura and Clausura, respectively. The league will consist of 12 teams. There will be two seasons conducted under identical rules, with each team playing a home and away game against the other clubs for a total of 22 games per tournament. At the end of each half-season tournament, the top 8 teams in that tournament's regular season standings will take part in the playoffs.
The champions of Apertura or Clausura with the better aggregate record will qualify for the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. The other champion, and the runner-up with the better aggregate record will qualify for the 2017 CONCACAF League. Should the same team win both tournaments, both runners-up will qualify for CONCACAF League. Should the final of both tournaments features the same 2 teams, the semifinalist with the better aggregate record will qualify for CONCACAF League.
Teams
A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 11 sides from the 2015–16 Primera División and 1 promoted from the 2015–16 Segunda División.
C.D. Atlético Marte were relegated to 2016–17 Segunda División the previous season.
The relegated team was replaced by the 2015–16 Segunda División playoffs promotion winner. C.D. Municipal Limeño won the Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2016 title, meaning there was no need for a promotion playoff and were promoted automatically.
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño as of June, 2016.
Champions: C.D. Municipal Limeño
Relegated to Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño as of June, 2016.
Last Place: Atlético Marte
Stadia and locations
TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity Águila San Miguel Juan Francisco Barraza 10,000 Alianza San Salvador Estadio Cuscatlán 53,400 Chalatenango Chalatenango Estadio José Gregorio Martínez 15,000 Dragón San Miguel Juan Francisco Barraza 10,000 FAS Santa Ana Estadio Óscar Quiteño 15,000 Firpo Usulután Estadio Sergio Torres 5,000 Isidro Metapán Metapán Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez 8,000 Limeño Santa Rosa de Lima Estadio Jose Ramon Flores 5,000 Pasaquina Pasaquina Estadio San Sebastián 5,000 Santa Tecla © Santa Tecla Estadio Las Delicias 10,000 Sonsonate Sonsonate Estadio Anna Mercedes Campos 8,000 UES ⓓ San Salvador Estadio Universitario UES 32,000
Personnel and sponsoring
TeamChairmanHead CoachKitmakerShirt sponsor Águila Pedro Arieta Edgardo Malvestiti Joma Tigo, Canal 4, Pollo Campesto Alianza Lisandro Pohl Jorge Rodríguez Lotto Canal 4, Mister Donut, Tigo, Gatorade, Veca airlines, Brahva Chalatenango Francisco Peraza Carlos Mijangos Milán Ferreteria Lemus, Alcaldía Municipal de Chalatenango, Canal 4, Agua Fria, Galletas Choco Risas, Funerales la Nueva Proteccion Dragón Roberto Pérez Henry Vanegas Milán Canal 4, L.A. Pizza, credito segguro 4orro FAS Guillermo Morán Osvaldo Escudero Milán Coop-1 de R.L., Pilsener, Tigo, Canal 4 Firpo Raúl Galo Ramón Sánchez Galaxia Dial Fm, Pilsener Isidro Metapán Rafael Morataya Edwin Portillo Milán Arroz San Pedro, Gumarsal, Don Frijol, Canal 4, Sistema Porcredita Limeño Rómulo Gómez Hugo Ovelar Galaxia Innova S Sport, Panama Electronic, Royal, Fanny Pasaquina Óscar Ramírez Omar Sevilla Milán Canal 4, Tigo, Tienda Libre, Farmacias Brasil, ZZpita Sonsonate Pedro Contreras Garabet Avedissian Rush Atletic wear ProACES, Caja de Crédito de Sonsonate, Alcadia Municipal Sonsonate, Canal 4, Leche salud, Ferreteria Santa Sofia, Coop-1 Santa Tecla José Vidal Hernández Ernesto Corti Milán Powerade, DLC, Canal 21, Plaza Merliot, Pollo Indio, Petrox, Claro, Dizucar, Bolívar, Toledo, The Moustache UES Rufino Quezada Edgar Henríquez Galaxia
Managerial changes
Before the start of the season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Sonsonate Mario Elias Guevara Interim finished 2016 Agustín Castillo 2016 7th (Clausura 2015) FAS Roberto Gamarra Resigned 2016 Osvaldo Escudero 2016 th (Clausura 2016) Chalatenango Ricardo Serrano Contract not extended 2016 Rubén Alonso 2016 8th (Clausura 2016) Santa Tecla Osvaldo Escudero Resigned, hired as FAS coach 2016 Ernesto Corti June 2016 1st (Clausura 2016) Águila Juan Ramón Sánchez Sacked June 2016 Edgardo Malvestiti June 2016 1st (Clausura 2016) Municipal Limeño Carlos Romero Mutual consent July 2016 Mauricio Alfaro July 2016 Newly promoted
During the Apertura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced byPosition in table Alianza Daniel Fernández Resigned August 2016 Milton Meléndez August 2016 11th (Apertura 2015) Firpo José Mario Martínez Sacked September 2016 Juan Ramón Sánchez September 2016 11th (Apertura 2015) Dragón Omar Sevilla Resigned September 2016 Nelson Ancheta September 2016 12th (Apertura 2015) Chalatenango Rubén Alonso Resigned October 2016 Geovanni Portillo October 2016 11th (Apertura 2015) UES Edgar Henríquez Resigned October 2016 Horacio Reyes October 2016 12th (Apertura 2015) UES Horacio Reyes Interim Finished October 2016 Efraín Burgos October 2016 12th (Apertura 2015) Municipal Limeño Mauricio Alfaro Resigned (due to family issues) November 2016 Francisco Robles November 2016 9th (Apertura 2015) Águila Edgardo Malvestiti Sacked November 2016 Darío Larrosa November 2016 1st (Apertura 2015)
Between Apertura and Clausura seasons
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Pasaquina Hugo Ovelar Resigned December 2016 Omar Sevilla December 2016 8th (Apertura 2016) Isidro Metapán Jorge Rodríguez Mutual Consent December 2016 Roberto Gamarra December 2016 6th (Apertura 2016) Chalatenango Geovanni Portillo Moved back to assistant coach December 2016 Carlos Alberto Mijangos December 2016 th (Apertura 2016) Alianza Milton Meléndez Moved back to sports director December 2016 Jorge Rodriguez December 2016 4th and runners up (Apertura 2016) Águila Darío Larrosa Moved back to sports director December 2016 Jorge Daniel Casanova December 2016 2nd and semi finalist (Apertura 2016)
During the Clausura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced byPosition in table C.D. Chalatenango Carlos Alberto Mijangos Resigned, moved to become a sports director February 2017 William Renderos Iraheta February 2017 10th (Clausura 2016) Limeño Francisco Robles Sacked February 2017 Hugo Ovelar February 2017 9th (Clausura 2016) Dragón Nelson Mauricio Ancheta Sacked February 2017 Victor Coreas March 2017 12th (Clausura 2016) Sonsonate Agustín Castillo Sacked February 2017 Ernesto Góchez Interim February 2017 th (Clausura 2016) FAS Osvaldo Escudero Resigned February 2017 Emiliano Pedrozo February 2017 10th (Clausura 2016) Sonsonate Ernesto Góchez Interim Interim Finished March 2017 Eraldo Correia March 2017 th (Clausura 2016) Dragón Victor Coreas Resigned due to player pays March 2017 Henry Vanegas March 2017 11th (Clausura 2016) C.D. Chalatenango William Renderos Iraheta Resigned, moved to become Fitness coach March 2017 Carlos Alberto Mijangos March 2017 10th (Clausura 2016)
Apertura
League table
Results
Scoring
First goal of the season: Guillermo Stradella for C.D. FAS against UES, 21 minutes (July 29, 2016) First goal by a foreign player: Guillermo Stradella for C.D. FAS against UES, 21 minutes (July 29, 2016) Fastest goal in a match: 2 minutes Eder Arias for C.D. Chalatenango against Metapán (August 16, 2016) Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 90+1 minutes Jonathan Águila for C.D. FAS against UES (July 29, 2016) First penalty Kick of the season: TBD for TBD against TBD, 89 minutes (August 3, 2016) Widest winning margin: 4 goals Alianza F.C. 4–0 C.D. Chalatenango (, 2016) Águila 5-1 UES (, 2016) First hat-trick of the season: Ricardo Brown for Metapán against C.D. Pasaquina (September 28, 2016) First own goal of the season: Kevin Carabantes (C.D. Chalatenango) for A.D. Isidro Metapán (August 16, 2016) Most goals in a match: 7 goals C.D. Chalatenango 3–4 C.D. Dragón (September 28, 2016) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 goals Águila 5-1 UES (, 2016) Most goals in one half by one team: 4 goals TBD 5–2(1–2) TBD (2nd half, September 30, 2016) Most goals scored by losing team: 3 goals C.D. Chalatenango 3–4 C.D. Dragón (September 28, 2016) Most goals by one player in a single match: 3 goals Ricardo Brown for Metapán against C.D. Pasaquina (September 17, 2016) Gustavo Guerreño for Pasaquina against C.D. Universidad de El Salvador (September 2016) Williams Reyes for Firpo against C.D. Pasaquina (October 9, 2016) Sebastián Abreu for Santa Tecla F.C. against C.D. Águila (December 7, 2016)
Club
Most clean sheets: C.D. Águila 11 Fewest clean sheets: UES 1 Best Home record during the Apertura season: Sonsonate 23 out of 33 points (7 wins, 2 draws, and 2 loss) Worst Home record during the Apertura season: Dragón and UES 6 out of 33 points (1 win, 3 draws, and 7 losses) Best Away record during the Apertura season: Águila 20 out of 33 points (5 wins, 5 draws, and 1 losses) Worst Away record during the Apertura season: UES 6 out of 33 points (1 win, 3 draws, and 7 losses) Highest scoring team: Alianza 45 goals Lowest scoring team: UES 48 goals
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerTeamGoals 1 Jefferson Viveros Limeño 13 2 Rodrigo Cubilla Chalatenango11 3 David Díaz UES10 3 Oscar Guerrero Alianza10 4 Gustavo Guerreño Pasaquina9 5 Sebastián Abreu Santa Tecla8 5 Mckauley Tulloch UES8 6 Juan Carlos Portillo Alianza7 9 Ricardo Brown Isidro Metapán8 9 Marlón Cornejo Santa Tecla6
Top assists RankPlayerNationClubAssists1 Yuvini Salamanca Limeño132Óscar CerénAlianza8
Individual awards Hombre GOLBest Coach AwardBest Goalkeeper AwardFair Player AwardRookie Player Award Jefferson ViverosLimeño Agustín CastilloSonsonate Benji VillalobosÁguila Óscar CerénAlianza Josué SantosFAS
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
First leg
Second leg
2–2. Sonsonate advanced as the higher seeded team.
Águila won 3–1 on aggregate.
2–2. Alianza advanced as the higher seeded team.
Santa Tecla won 3–2 on aggregate.
Semifinals
First leg
Second leg
Alianza won 4–0 on aggregate.
Santa Tecla won 4–3 on aggregate.
Final
Alianza F.C. GK 25 Óscar ArroyoDF 5 Andrés Flores JacoDF 6 Mario JacoboDF 4 Fabricio Silva DF 15 Danny Torres MF 7 Rudy Valencia MF 8 Óscar Cerén MF 42 Alexander Larín MF 11 Juan Carlos Portillo MF 3 Herbert Sosa FW 22 Rodolfo Zelaya Substitutes:FW 9 Rodrigo Rivera FW 10 Oscar Guerrero Manager: Milton Meléndez
Santa Tecla F.C. GK 1 Joel AlmeidaDF 3 Bryan TamacasDF 12 Roberto DomínguezDF 26 Ivan Mancia DF 6 Juan Barahona MF 7 Kevin AyalaMF 5 Diego Chavarría MF 8 Gerson Mayen MF 57 Marlón Cornejo FW 9 William Maldonado FW 15 Sebastián Abreu Substitutes:FW 11 Léster Blanco MF 25 Sergio Souza Manager: Ernesto Corti
Clausura League table
Results
Scoring First goal of the season: Erick Villalobos for C.D. Pasaquina against Alianza, 35 minutes (January 14, 2017) First goal by a foreign player: Darío Ferreira for Alianza F.C. against Pasaquina, 57 minutes (January 14, 2017) Fastest goal in a match: 1 minutes Miguel Lemus for Firpo against C.D. Municipal Limeno (2017) Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 90+1 minutes TBD for TBD against TBD (2017) First penalty Kick of the season: Danilo Peinado for C.D. Águila against Firpo, 81 minutes (15 January 2017) Widest winning margin: 3 goals C.D. Aguila 5-2 Firpo (15 January 2017) First hat-trick of the season: ** Rodolfo Zelaya for Alianza against Dragon (2 April 2017) First own goal of the season: Bladimir Osorio (C.D. Dragon) for UES ( 2017) Most goals in a match: 7 goals C.D. Águila 5-2 Firpo (15 January 2017) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 goals C.D. Águila 5-2 Firpo (15 January 2017)