2009 Torneo Apertura (Chile) Explained

Competition:Campeonato Nacional Apertura Copa Banco del Estado
Dates:31 January – 28 June 2009
Season:2009
Winners:Universidad de Chile
13th title
Continentalcup1:2010 Copa Libertadores
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Universidad de Chile
Continentalcup2:2009 Copa Sudamericana
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Unión Española
Universidad de Chile
League Topscorer:Esteban Paredes
(17 goals)
Highest Attendance:39,685
Universidad Católica 1–4 Universidad de Chile
Attendance:991,427
Average Attendance:5,936
Matches:167
Total Goals:507
Prevseason:2008–C
Nextseason:2009–C

The 2009 Campeonato Nacional de Apertura Copa Banco Estado was the 85th season of top-tier football in Chile. The tournament champion was Universidad de Chile, so that earned their 13th league title after a five-year winless, after winning over Unión Española on points, in the finals, that allowed the automatically qualification of the university team to the 2010 Copa Libertadores Second Stage.

After the relegations of Deportes Melipilla, Provincial Osorno and Deportes Concepción (because administration problems), the number of teams that contested the tournament was reduced from 20 to 18, following the promotion of Curicó Unido, which made their first top-flight appearance in 35 years.

It began on 31 January during a 2–2 draw between Curicó Unido and Colo-Colo at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, and ended on 28 June.

Format changes

The format for 2009 remains largely the same as 2008, except for the advancement to the Playoff Stages. Groups will no longer be used to determine who advance to the next stage. Instead, the top-eight teams in Classification Stage will advance.

International qualification changes

Qualification to the Copa Libertadores remains the same, as well as qualification to the Chile 1 spot in the Copa Sudamericana. The Chile 2 spot will be contested between the second-best team in the first stage and the 2008-09 Copa Chile winner. The winner of the single match will qualify to the 2009 Copa Sudamericana.

Team information

The number of teams were reduced starting with this season from 20 to 18. Deportes Antofagasta, Provincial Osorno, Deportes Melipilla, and Deportes Concepción were relegated last season to the Primera B. They were replaced by Municipal Iquique and Curicó Unido.

TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity
Audax ItalianoSantiagoBicentenario de La Florida
CobreloaCalamaMunicipal de Calama
CobresalEl SalvadorEstadio El Cobre
Colo-ColoSantiagoEstadio Monumental
Curicó UnidoCuricóEstadio La Granja
EvertonViña del MarSausalito
HuachipatoTalcahuanoEstadio CAP
Municipal IquiqueIquiqueTierra de Campeones
Deportes La SerenaLa SerenaLa Portada
ÑublenseChillánMunicipal Nelson Oyarzún Arenas
O'HigginsRancaguaEl Teniente de Rancagua
PalestinoSantiagoLa Cisterna
RangersTalcaEstadio Fiscal de Talca
Santiago MorningSantiagoMunicipal de La Pintana
Unión EspañolaSantiagoSanta Laura
Universidad CatólicaSantiagoSan Carlos de Apoquindo
Universidad de ChileSantiagoEstadio Nacional
Universidad de ConcepciónConcepciónMunicipal de Concepción

Regular season

Standings

Playoff stage

Updated as of games played on July 7, 2009.

Universidad de Chile qualified to the 2010 Copa Libertadores Second Stage.

Top goalscorers

PosPlayerClubGoals
1 Esteban ParedesSantiago Morning17
2 Gustavo CanalesUnión Española13
Rubén GigenaAudax Italiano13
4 Lucas BarriosColo-Colo11
Juan Manuel OliveraUniversidad de Chile11
6 Mario AravenaUnión Española10
7 Milovan MirosevicUniversidad Católica9
Leonardo MonjeHuachipato9
Diego RivarolaSantiago Morning9
Samuel TeuberO'Higgins9
Gabriel VargasUniversidad de Concepción9

Copa Sudamericana playoff

The second-best team of the Classification Stage (Universidad de Chile) played a match at Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso in the city of Coquimbo against the 2008 Copa Chile champions, (Universidad de Concepción) for the Chile 2 spot in the 2009 Copa Sudamericana.

Universidad de Chile classified to the Chile 2 berth for the 2009 Copa Sudamericana First Stage.

See also

External links