2017–18 Premier League of Belize explained

Competition:Premier League of Belize
Season:2017–18
Dates:12 August 2017 – 21 May 2018
Winners:Opening:
Verdes
Closing:
Belmopan Bandits
Continentalcup1:CONCACAF League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Belmopan Bandits
Matches:123
Total Goals:445
League Topscorer:Opening:
Georgie Welcome (18)
Closing:
Trimayne Harris (13)
Biggest Home Win:Belmopan Bandits 7-0 Freedom Fighters
(4 November 2017)
Belize Defence Force 7-0 Freedom Fighters
(12 November 2017)
Biggest Away Win:Belize Defence Force 1-7 Verdes
(18 November 2017)
San Pedro Pirates 0-6 Belmopan Bandits
(19 November 2017)
Highest Scoring:Police United 6-3 Wagiya
(8 October 2017)
Longest Wins:Belmopan Bandits (8)
Longest Unbeaten:Belmopan Bandits (13)
Longest Winless:Wagiya (13)
Longest Losses:Freedom Fighters (10)
Prevseason:2016–17
Nextseason:2018–19

The 2017–18 Premier League of Belize was the seventh season of the highest competitive football league in Belize, after it was founded in 2011. There were two seasons which were spread over two years. The opening was played towards the end of 2017 and the closing was played at the beginning of 2018.

Team information

TeamCityStadium
Belize Defence ForceBelize CityMCC Grounds
Belmopan BanditsBelmopanIsidoro Beaton Stadium
Freedom FightersPunta GordaVictor Sanchez Union Field
Placencia AssassinsIndependence
Police UnitedBelmopanIsidoro Beaton Stadium
San Pedro PiratesSan PedroAmbergris Stadium
VerdesSan IgnacioNorman Broaster Stadium
WagiyaDangrigaCarl Ramos Stadium

Opening season

From the 2016–17 Premier League of Belize closing season, 7 teams continued to play in the opening season of 2017–18. FC Belize were replaced by a newly formed team, San Pedro Pirates, making 8 teams in total.[1]

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 12 August 2017.[2]

Playoffs

Semi-finals

----Game One[3]

Game Two[4]

Finals

----Game One[5]

Game Two[6]

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals
1 Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits18
2 Alcides ThomasVerdes14
3 Daniel JimenezPolice United10
Krisean LopezWagiya
5 Jaren LambeyBelize Defence Force9
Hector Martinez
7 Darwin BermudezBelmopan Bandits7
Jeromy JamesBelmopan Bandits
Elroy KuylenVerdes
Luis TorresPlacencia Assassins
11 Shane FloresBelize Defence Force6
Elroy SmithBelmopan Bandits

Includes playoff goals.

Hat-tricks

PlayerFor !Against Result Date
Alcides Thomas 3–1 (H)
Daniel Jimenez 6–3 (H)
Krisean Lopez 6–2 (H)
Georgie Welcome5 7–0 (H)
7–2 (H)
Jaren Lambey4 7–0 (H)
Alcides Thomas 7–1 (A)

4 Player scored 4 goals
5 Player scored 5 goals

Awards

In the post-game ceremonies of the final game of the season, the individual awards were announced.[7]

AwardRecipientTeam
Golden Boot Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits
MVP (Regular Season) Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits
MVP (Playoff) Roberto Silva de LimaVerdes
Best Young Player Krisean LopezWagiya
Best Forward Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits
Best Midfielder Denmark Casey Jr.Verdes
Best Defender Elroy SmithBelmopan Bandits
Golden Glove Selvin Zeron SagastumeVerdes
Best Coach Marvin OttleyVerdes
Best Manager Lorin FrazerVerdes

Closing season

All 8 teams that participated in the opening season will participate in the closing season.

The format will be the same as the opening season with 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 closing season commenced on 13 January 2018.[8]

Playoffs

Semi-finals

----Game One[9]

Game Two[10]

Finals

----Game One[11]

Game Two[11]

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals
1 Trimayne HarrisBelize Defence Force13
2 Jonard CastilloWagiya10
Rony FloresBelmopan Bandits
4 Hector MartinezBelmopan Bandits8
Elroy SmithBelmopan Bandits
Alcides ThomasVerdes
7 Jarret DavisVerdes6
Alexander PetersFreedom Fighters
Luis TorresPlacencia Assassins
Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits
11 Inri GonzagaSan Pedro Pirates5
Daniel JimenezPolice United
Krisean LopezVerdes

Includes playoff goals.

Hat-tricks

PlayerFor !Against Result Date
Byron Usher 6–1 (A)
Luis Torres 3–3 (A)
Luis Mencia 4–1 (H)
Hector Martinez 4–3 (A)
Georgie Welcome5–3 (H)

Awards

In the post-game ceremonies of the final game of the season, the individual awards were announced.[11]

AwardRecipientTeam
Golden Boot (Regular Season) Jonard CastilloWagiya
Golden Boot (Overall) Trimayne HarrisBelize Defence Force
MVP (Regular Season) Trimayne HarrisBelize Defence Force
MVP (Playoff) Georgie WelcomeBelmopan Bandits
Best Young Player Jonard CastilloWagiya
Best Midfielder Denmark Casey Jr.Verdes
Best Defender Dalton EileyBelmopan Bandits
Golden Glove Selvin Zeron SagastumeVerdes
Best Coach Kent GabourelBelmopan Bandits
Best Manager Captain Kenrick MartinezBelize Defence Force

Notes and References

  1. News: San Pedro Pirates to take part in 2017 Premier League of Belize. 23 August 2017. San Pedro Sun. 10 August 2017.
  2. News: PLB 2017-2018 Opening Season kicks off with a bang!!. 23 August 2017. Amandala. 16 August 2017.
  3. News: Playoff favorites, Verdes and Bandits win by 6-goal margins in PLB semifinals game 1; on pace to finals showdown. 30 November 2017. Amandala. 25 November 2017.
  4. News: Semifinals completed; the stage is set for PLB Finals game 1. 30 November 2017. Amandala. 29 November 2017.
  5. News: Verdes, 1-nil, over Bandits in game 1 of PLB Finals; game 2 "for all the marbles" on Saturday at Isidoro Beaton. 6 December 2017. Amandala. 6 December 2017.
  6. News: Verdes FC is the new PLB 2017-2018 Opening Season champion. 15 December 2017. Amandala. 13 December 2017.
  7. News: Belize Premier League names individual awards winners. 15 December 2017. The Guardian. 14 December 2017.
  8. News: Verdes FC to begin defence of national football title on Sunday. 16 January 2018. The Guardian. 11 January 2018.
  9. News: PLB semifinals drama; top seeds shaken up in 1st leg. 27 April 2018. Amandala. 25 April 2018.
  10. News: Old capital vs new – BDF defenders vs the Bandits from Belmopan in PLB Closing Season Finals. 13 June 2018. Amandala. 19 May 2018.
  11. News: Bandits rule!. 13 June 2018. Amandala. 26 May 2018.