The 2019–20 Premier League of Belize was the ninth season of the Premier League of Belize, the highest competitive football league in Belize, after it was founded in 2011. There were two seasons which were spread over two years.
Teams
Team City Stadium Manager Captain Altitude Independence Michael Ashcroft Stadium Hilberto Muschamp Jose Urbina Belize Defence Force Belize City MCC Grounds Jerome Serano Osmar Duran Belmopan Bandits Belmopan Isidoro Beaton Stadium Leroy Sherrier Lewis Dalton Eiley Placencia Assassins Placencia Placencia Football Field Robert Muschamp Ashley Torres San Pedro Pirates San Pedro Ambergris Stadium Jorge Nunez Jesse Smith Valley Pride Freedom Fighters Dangriga Carl Ramos Stadium Gerson Voss Jacinto Bermudez Verdes San Ignacio Norman Broaster Stadium Cesar Martin Dall'Orso Woodrow West Wagiya Dangriga Carl Ramos Stadium Francis Flores
Opening season
From the 2018–19 Premier League of Belize closing season, 7 teams continued to play in the opening season of 2019–20, with Placencia Assassins returning to the league to replace Police United. Freedom Fighters were also rebranded to Valley Pride Freedom Fighters and relocated to Dangriga from Punta Gorda.
There would be one league consisting of the 8 teams, who will play each other twice, with the top 4 teams advancing to the end of season playoffs. The opening season commenced on 27 July 2019.
League table
Results
Playoffs
Semifinals
Game One
Game Two
Finals
Game One
Game Two
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerTeamGoals1 Mariano Landero Verdes142 Andres Orozco Altitude113 Krisean Lopez Verdes94 Roberto Silva de Lima Belmopan Bandits85 Facundo Garnier San Pedro Pirates7 Edwin Villeda Verdes7 Jesse August Belize Defence Force68 Carlos Lino Valley Pride Freedom Fighters5 Trimayne Harris Verdes Henry Vivas San Pedro Pirates Georgie Welcome Belmopan Bandits12 Anderson Cordoba San Pedro Pirates4 Miguel Garcia Altitude Jaren Lambey Belize Defence Force Camilo Sanchez Belize Defence Force Ashton Torres Placencia Assassins
Includes playoff goals.
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Mariano Landero Verdes Altitude 5–1 (H) Mariano Landero Verdes Belize Defence Force 3–3 (A) Carlos Gonzalez Belmopan Bandits Valley Pride Freedom Fighters 7–0 (A)
Awards
At an awards ceremony on 4 January 2020, the individual awards were announced.
Award Recipient Team Golden Boot Mariano LanderoVerdes MVP (Regular Season) Edwin VilledaVerdes MVP (Playoff) Krisean LopezVerdes Best Young Player Jesse AugustBelize Defence Force Best Midfielder Jordy PolancoVerdes Best Defender Elroy SmithVerdes Golden Glove Shane OrioBelmopan Bandits Best Coach Cesar Martin Dall'OrsoVerdes Best Manager Lorin FrazerVerdes
Closing season
7 of the 8 teams that participated in the opening season will participate in the closing season, with Valley Pride Freedom Fighters not competing, as they were unable to meet their commitments.
The format will be the same as the opening season with one league consisting of the 7 teams, who will play each other twice, with the top 4 teams advancing to the end of season playoffs. The closing season commenced on 11 January 2020.
On 18 April 2020 a virtual meeting was held by the Premier League of Belize, and it was unanimously agreed by club owners to cancel the remainder of the closing season due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league also stated that the safety of players, officials, fans and stakeholders had to be taken into consideration. It was also agreed that Verdes would represent Belize at the 2020 CONCACAF League. According to the league, the decision to allow Verdes to represent Belize was based on the fact that the club had won the 2019–20 opening season, and was the aggregate point leader with a total of 51 points at the initial juncture, when the season was suspended.
League table
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerTeamGoals1 Georgie Welcome Belmopan Bandits82 Facundo Garnier Belmopan Bandits7 Jesse Smith San Pedro Pirates4 Krisean Lopez Verdes3
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Georgie Welcome Belmopan Bandits Placencia Assassins 11–0 (H) Facundo Garnier Belmopan Bandits Wagiya 5–0 (H)
References