Antigua GFC celebrates after winning the 2015 Guatemalan Apertura title on December 20, 2015. (Photo: Luis Rolando Solares)
ANTIGUA, Guatemala – Antigua GFC earned a 2-0 win over visiting Guastatoya in the second leg of the 2015 Guatemalan Apertura final on Sunday at the Estadio Pensativo to capture the title, 3-2 on aggregate.
Oscar Isaula (19’) and Edgar Chinchilla (74’) scored the goals that gave the Panza Verde the first championship in its 57-year history and a place in the 2016/17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.
"The fighting come from down deep,” Antigua midfielder Alejandro Diaz told CONCACAF.com. “This is a humble victory. We gave everything in these six months and God rewarded us.
"Coming from amateur football and now having a professional title under our arm is priceless.”
Antigua finished second in the regular-season standings with an 11W-5D-6L record, before overcoming six-time defending champion Comunicaciones, 4-3 on aggregate, in the semifinals.
"We are champions deservedly and proudly,” said Mauricio Tapia, an Argentine, who was handed the head coaching reins in May 2014. “The things that we are enjoying have a cost. We have been through some very difficult things.”
In the 2015 Clausura, Antigua reached the semifinals, where it fell 6-2 on aggregate to Comunicaciones. The leap to becoming a champion was large and Tapia was grateful that the club’s management maintained its faith in him, especially after he opened the 2014 Apertura winless after 10 games (0W-6D-4L).
"They give a chance (to the coaches),” finished Tapia. “They leave them to work. We hope to arrive at the Champions League in good shape.”
NOTES:
- Guastatoya won the first leg of the final, 2-1, on goals by Danilo Guerra (16') and Juan Manuel Kluj, while Diaz (49’) struck for Antigua
- … 80 championships have been contested in the history of professional Guatemalan football, the last 33 have been short tournaments
- … Comunicaciones (30) has won the most titles, followed closely by Municipal (29).
