1997 in Paraguayan football


The following article presents a summary of the 1997 football season in Paraguay.

First division">Liga Paraguaya: Primera División">First division results

Torneo Apertura

The Apertura tournament was played in a single all-play-all system. After every draw during this stage the game went on to a penalty kick shootout, awarding two points to the winner of the shootout and one point to the losing team. At the end, the top eight teams qualified to a playoff stage to determine the Apertura champion.
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededPoints
1Olimpia1274/0122729
2Cerro Porteño1271/04231523
3Sol de América1260/2411820
4Libertad1250/52171320
5San Lorenzo1251/24151719
6Guaraní1251/24181519
7Presidente Hayes1243/05131718
8Sportivo Luqueño1250/16152216
9Nacional1232/34162116
10Sport Colombia1223/34171515
11Tembetary1241/16141615
12Atl. Colegiales1232/0791513
13Cerro Corá1222/17152411

The top eight teams qualified to this stage and were given bonus points based on their final standing in the table. Two groups of four teams were made, with the top two of each group advancing to a playoff stage.
Group stage
Group A
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededBonus PointsPoints
1Olimpia320/01529
2Sportivo Luqueño320/01756
3Libertad310/02594.5
4Guaraní310/02233.5

Group B
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededBonus PointsPoints
1Cerro Porteño321/007410.5
2Sol de América311/01447
3San Lorenzo310/11445
4Presidente Hayes300/12141
Semifinals
Apertura final

Torneo Clausura

The Clausura tournament was played in a single all-play-all system. After every draw during this stage the game went on to a penalty kick shootout, awarding two points to the winner of the shootout and one point to the losing team. At the end, the top eight teams qualified to a playoff stage to determine the Clausura champion.
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededPoints
1Cerro Corá1281/21221128
2Guaraní1261/41221624
3San Lorenzo1252/14131020
4Sportivo Luqueño1243/23181620
5Olimpia1244/04181620
6Atl. Colegiales1243/23181820
7Cerro Porteño1241/43151318
8Nacional1241/25142316
9Tembetary1241/25312716
10Sport Colombia1231/35201914
11Presidente Hayes1232/16131814
12Sol de América1231/17111512
13Libertad1223/0782112

Clausura playoff stage

The top eight teams qualified to this stage and were given bonus points based on their final standing in the table. Two groups of four teams were made, with the top two of each group advancing to a playoff stage.
Group stage
Group A
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededBonus PointsPoints
1Sportivo Luqueño330/009310.5
2Guaraní311/01567.5
3Nacional310/11774
4Cerro Porteño300/036110

Group B
PositionTeamPlayedWinsDraws
P.K. Wins / P.K. Losses
LossesScoredConcededBonus PointsPoints
1Olimpia320/10628
2Cerro Corá311/01438
3San Lorenzo310/11246
4Atl. Colegiales301/02142.5
Semifinals
Clausura final

National championship game

The national championship game was played between the Apertura and Clausura tournaments winners.

Relegation / Promotion

Paraguayan teams in international competitions

The following table lists all the games played by the Paraguay national football team in official competitions during 1997.
DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompParaguay scorersReport
January 12, 1997Estadio Guillermo Soto Rosa
Mérida
0 - 2WCQ 1998M.A. Benítez
Enciso
February 12, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
2 - 1WCQ 1998Rivarola
A. Rojas
April 2, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
2 - 1WCQ 1998Gamarra
D. Soto
April 30, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
3 - 1WCQ 1998A. Rojas
J. Cardozo
D. Soto
1997-06-04Hermann Stadium
St. Louis, United States
0 - 0FN/A
1997-06-11Estadio Félix Capriles
Cochabamba, Bolivia
0 - 1CA97Acuña N/A
1997-06-14Estadio Félix Capriles
Cochabamba, Bolivia
2 - 0CA97N/A
1997-06-17Estadio Félix Capriles
Cochabamba, Bolivia
1 - 1CA97Chilavert N/A
1997-06-22Estadio Ramón Aguilera
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
2 - 0CA97N/A
July 6, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
1 - 2WCQ 1998R. Acuña
July 20, 1997Estadio Nacional de Chile
Santiago
2 - 1WCQ 1998H. Brizuela
August 20, 1997Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa
Quito
2 - 1WCQ 1998R. Báez
September 10, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
2 - 1WCQ 1998M.A. Benítez
C. Gamarra
October 12, 1997Estadio Defensores del Chaco
Asunción
1 - 0WCQ 1998F. Torres
November 16, 1997Estadio Nacional
Lima
1 - 0WCQ 1998-