PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Panama has the honor of being the first Central American nation to crown a champion this season, when Chepo and Arabe Unido meet in the Grand Final on Sunday at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City.

The two sides advanced to the championship match by seeing off their semifinal opponents in home-and-away series disputed over the last two weeks. Now, in an event unique to Panamanian football on the regional scale, the teams will square off in a one-game final to determine the champion of the 2012 Apertura.

The road to the final has been distinct for nine-time champion Arabe Unido, known as one of the "big four" in the Panamanian game, and Chepo, a relative newcomer to these heights of the tournament, but a team set to play in its second-consecutive final.

Arabe Unido came on strong as the season wound down, nearly catching early leader Rio Abajo in the regular-season table, and finishing second in the standings. In the playoff semifinal round, the Blue Express easily saw off Plaza Amador, 5-1 on aggregate, despite having to play its home leg in Panama City, due to the torrential rains that have fallen on its home city of Colon for the last week.

"We wanted to give some happiness to the town of Colon, for all that's happened with the environment, and all they've suffered in recent days," forward Orlando Rodriguez told TV Max in Panama. "Thanks to God everything came out well and we're in the final."

To most, as the second seed, Arabe Unido comes in as a slight favorite to secure another title. Chepo, which is looking for its first trophy, will be no easy out.

The Orange knocked off regular season table topper Rio Abajo in the semifinals to advance 3-1 on aggregate, and have had Arabe Unido's number in recent years. Of the last ten matches between the two sides, over the last two years, Chepo has lost only one, while winning five and tying four. The Tigrillos have outscored Arabe Unido by a count of 14 to eight during that period.

Chepo, which finished fourth in the regular season, edged into the playoffs ahead of Chorrillo by a single-goal margin in goal differential. The Orange -- bolstered by the league's second-best defense -- is led by Panamanian national teamer Armando Gun and lost only three times in eighteen matches, while tying ten.

Arabe Unido, which has qualified for two editions of the CONCACAF Champions League, dropped only two matches this season.

The Chepo-Arabe Unido pairing is an intriguing one for a final that is certain to come down to the wire.