Primera División A Apertura 2008

The Primera División A Apertura 2008 is a Mexican football tournament, one of two short tournaments held each year. It began on July 18, 2008 and ran until December 7, 2008. The reigning champions, León, were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Irapuato on a 2–1 two-leg aggregate, and thus could not successfully defend their Clausura 2008 title. Querétaro won the tournament, defeating Irapuato on a 2–0 two-leg aggregate, and will earn a spot into the promotional playoff held after the end of the Clausura 2009 season, where the winners of the two tournaments meet in an effort to gain promotion to the Primera División.

After winning the 2008 promotional playoff against León, the Indios (indians) of Ciudad Juárez were promoted to the Primera División. The Tiburones Rojos (red sharks) of Veracruz were relegated to the Primera División A due to finishing at the bottom of the Primera División relegation table. Pachuca Juniors won the right to be promoted to the Primera División A after winning the Segunda División promotional playoff but lacked the certificate of promotion given to teams by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación (FMF). Instead, the Freseros of Irapuato were promoted to the Primera División A, and two new reserve teams were created for the Indios of Ciudad Juárez (the Indios of Chihuahua) and Atlante (the Potros of Chetumal).

Contents

Tournament Format

A total of 27 teams are divided into three groups of nine teams each. Each team plays the other eight teams in its group twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 16 games. At the end of the regular season the top two teams in each group, as well as the next two highest placed teams, qualify to the Liguilla (playoffs). The teams are seeded based on their position in the general table and are arranged before each round so that the highest seeded team remaining always plays the lowest seed remaining. The teams play a home and home series and whichever team has the better aggregate score advances. If the two teams are tied after both legs in the quarterfinals and semifinals the higher seed advances automatically. In the finals, if the two teams are tied after both legs two 15 minute halves of extra time are added. If the teams are still tied after extra time the champion is determined through a penalty shootout.

Promotion

One team is promoted to the Primera División each year (two short tournaments). After the Clausura 2009 tournament, the champions of the Apertura 2008 and Clausura 2009 tournaments will play a home and home series to determine which team will be promoted. If the same team wins both tournaments it will be promoted automatically. In order for a team to be promoted it has to obtain a certification from the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación. If the winner of the promotional final is not certified for promotion a home and home series is played between the highest placed certified team and the club being relegated to the Primera División A to determine which will be in the Primera División.

Currently certified teams

Relegation

One team is relegated to the Segunda División each year (two short tournaments). The team that has the worst points to games played ratio over the previous three years (Apertura 2006, Clausura 2007, Apertura 2007, Clausura 2008, Apertura 2008, Clausura 2009) is relegated to the Segunda División.

League Table (Groups)

Group 1

P Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 León 16 10 5 1 21 12 +9 35
2 Tijuana 16 9 5 2 20 8 +12 32
3 Irapuato 16 8 6 2 20 6 +14 30
4 Tapatío 16 5 4 7 12 16 −4 19
5 UAG 16 4 5 7 17 16 +1 17
6 Académicos 16 3 7 6 12 14 −2 16
7 Real Colima 16 3 6 7 10 18 −8 15
8 Sinaloa 16 4 3 9 11 21 −10 15
9 Salamanca 16 2 7 7 10 22 −12 13

Group 2

P Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Querétaro 16 10 3 3 36 20 +16 33
2 UAT 16 9 4 3 21 12 +9 31
3 UANL 16 9 2 5 19 12 +7 29
4 Chihuahua 16 6 3 7 25 28 −3 21
5 Durango 16 4 8 4 15 16 −1 20
6 Socio Águila 16 5 4 7 13 16 −3 19
7 Tampico Madero 16 4 5 7 25 30 −5 17
8 Santos Laguna 16 4 3 9 18 27 −9 15
9 Monterrey 16 2 6 8 19 30 −11 12

Group 3

P Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 UNAM 16 11 2 3 27 12 +15 35
2 Mérida 16 10 2 4 22 13 +9 32
3 Veracruz 16 8 4 4 25 16 +9 28
4 Cruz Azul 16 7 3 6 25 15 +10 24
5 BUAP 16 6 3 7 22 30 −8 21
6 Atlético Mexiquense 16 5 4 7 19 19 0 19
7 Coatzacoalcos 16 4 7 5 14 16 −2 19
8 Chetumal 16 1 8 7 15 28 −13 11
9 Tapachula 16 1 5 10 12 32 −20 8
Team qualifies for the Liguilla and is certified for promotion
Team qualifies for the Liguilla
Team is certified for promotion
Team is last on the relegation table

As of: November 17, 2008
Source: FMF
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head; 5th away goals scored; 6th draw
P = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points.

League Table (General)

P Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 UNAM 16 11 2 3 27 12 +15 35
2 León 16 10 5 1 21 12 +9 35
3 Querétaro 16 10 3 3 36 20 +16 33
4 Tijuana 16 9 5 2 20 8 +12 32
5 Mérida 16 10 2 4 22 13 +9 32
6 UAT 16 9 4 3 21 12 +9 31
7 Irapuato 16 8 6 2 20 6 +14 30
8 UANL 16 9 2 5 19 12 +7 29
9 Veracruz 16 8 4 4 25 16 +9 28
10 Cruz Azul 16 7 3 6 25 15 +10 24
11 Chihuahua 16 6 3 7 25 28 −3 21
12 BUAP 16 6 3 7 22 30 −8 21
13 Durango 16 4 8 4 15 16 −1 20
14 Atlético Mexiquense 16 5 4 7 19 19 0 19
15 Coatzacoalcos 16 4 7 5 14 16 −2 19
16 Socio Águila 16 5 4 7 13 16 −3 19
17 Tapatío 16 5 4 7 12 16 −4 19
18 UAG 16 4 5 7 17 16 +1 17
19 Tampico Madero 16 4 5 7 25 30 −5 17
20 Académicos 16 3 7 6 12 14 −2 16
21 Real Colima 16 3 6 7 10 18 −8 15
22 Santos Laguna 16 4 3 9 18 27 −9 15
23 Sinaloa 16 4 3 9 11 21 −10 15
24 Salamanca 16 2 7 7 10 22 −12 13
25 Monterrey 16 2 6 8 19 30 −11 12
26 Chetumal 16 1 8 7 15 28 −13 11
27 Tapachula 16 1 5 10 12 32 −20 8
Team qualifies for the Liguilla and is certified for promotion
Team qualifies for the Liguilla
Team is certified for promotion
Team is last on the relegation table

As of: November 17, 2008
Source: FMF
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head; 5th away goals scored; 6th draw
P = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points.

Liguilla

  Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                                         
1  UNAM 2 0 2  
8  UANL 1 1 2  
  1  UNAM 0 0 0  
  7  Irapuato 1 1 2  
4  Tijuana 0 4 4
5  Mérida 1 0 1  
  7  Irapuato 0 0 0
  3  Querétaro 0 2 2
3  Querétaro 1 1 2  
6  UAT 2 0 2  
  4  Tijuana 1 1 2
  3  Querétaro 0 3 3  
2  León 0 1 1
7  Irapuato 1 1 2  
Apertura 2008 winner:
Querétaro
3rd Title

Results

Group 1

Home \ Away1 ACA IRA LEÓ REA SAL SIN TAP TIJ UAG
Académicos 0–0 0–1 1–1 3–0 2–1 0–1 1–1 0–0
Irapuato 2–0 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 3–1
León 2–1 0–4 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–1
Real Colima 0–0 0–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 0–2 1–0 1–3
Salamanca 2–1 0–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 1–0 0–2 0–0
Sinaloa 1–2 0–0 0–1 1–2 3–2 0–0 1–2 0–3
Tapatío 0–0 1–3 1–3 1–1 4–2 0–1 0–3 1–0
Tijuana 1–0 1–0 2–2 2–0 3–0 0–2 0–0 1–0
UAG 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–0 1–1 4–0 0–1 0–1

Group 2

Home \ Away1 CHI DUR MON QUE SLA SOC TAM UAT UNL
Chihuahua 0–1 3–1 2–4 2–0 1–0 5–4 0–0 0–1
Durango 0–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 0–0 1–1 1–0 0–0
Monterrey 1–1 1–1 5–4 2–2 0–0 2–4 0–0 1–2
Querétaro 3–1 1–0 2–0 3–0 0–1 5–1 1–0 2–1
Santos Laguna 4–3 0–0 1–0 1–3 1–2 4–1 1–2 0–2
Socio Águila 0–1 1–4 1–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–1 1–0
Tampico Madero 3–3 0–0 2–3 2–0 2–0 2–1 1–1 0–1
UAT 2–0 2–0 3–1 3–3 0–2 1–0 2–1 1–0
UANL 4–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–3

Group 3

Home \ Away1 ATM BUP COA CHE CRU MER TAP VER UNM
Atlético Mexiquense 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 0–1 0–3
BUAP 3–2 2–1 2–1 0–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–3
Coatzacoalcos 1–1 3–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–3
Chetumal 0–0 2–2 1–1 3–2 0–3 0–0 1–1 1–2
Cruz Azul 1–0 1–0 0–0 4–2 1–2 4–0 4–0 2–0
Mérida 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0
Jaguares de Tapachula 2–2 4–4 0–0 2–2 1–3 0–1 0–2 2–1
Veracruz 2–1 6–1 3–1 1–0 2–1 2–2 3–0 0–0
UNAM 1–0 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 2–1

Updated to games played on 2008-11-17
Source: FMF
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Scorer Goals Team
Mauro Gerk 14 Querétaro
Raúl Enríquez Tijuana
Bosco Frontan 10 Tampico Madero
José Gutiérrez 9 Chihuahua
Javier Orozco 8 Cruz Azul
Nicolás Olivera Veracruz
Dany González Monterrey
Diego Olsina 7 Mérida
Juan Úbeda BUAP
Marco Reyna 6 Durango
José Ojeda Tampico Madero
Luis Orozco Mérida
Sebastián González León
Sergio Pérez 5 Irapuato
Carlos Vela UAT

Last updated: 2008-11-17
Source: FMF

Relegation Table

P Team Pts G Pts/G
1 Tijuana 32 16 2.0000
2 León 166 84 1.9762
3 Irapuato 30 16 1.8750
4 Veracruz 28 16 1.7500
5 Cruz Azul 144 84 1.7143
6 Sinaloa 144 84 1.7143
7 Querétaro 140 84 1.6667
8 UAT 131 84 1.5595
9 UNAM 126 84 1.5000
10 Coatzacoalcos 126 84 1.5000
11 BUAP 116 84 1.3810
12 Salamanca 114 84 1.3571
13 Mérida 67 50 1.3400
14 Chihuahua 21 16 1.3125
15 UANL 110 84 1.3095
16 Durango 109 84 1.2976
17 Real Colima 106 84 1.2619
18 Tampico Madero 103 84 1.2262
19 Tapatío 102 84 1.2143
20 Atlético Mexiquense 98 84 1.1667
21 Monterrey 96 84 1.1429
22 Socio Águila 93 84 1.1071
23 Académicos 91 84 1.0833
24 UAG 90 84 1.0714
25 Santos Laguna 81 84 0.9643
26 Tapachula 36 50 0.7200
27 Chetumal 11 16 0.6875

Last updated: 2008-11-17
Source: FMF
P = Position; G = Games played; Pts = Points; Pts/G = Ratio of points to games played

External links

Primera A
Clausura 2008 · Apertura 2008 · Clausura 2009
Liga de Ascenso