SANTIAGO.- Cibao FC will be in a semifinal of the Dominican Football League (LDF) for the ninth time, when they face Club Atlético Pantoja this Saturday, a match that will begin at 4:00 in the afternoon at the Panamericano stadium, in the event dedicated to the memory of Dr. José Rafael Abinader.
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In the previous eight occasions, the orange eleven has advanced to the finals seven times, where it has accumulated five crowns, including four consecutive ones and two runner-up finishes.Their first semifinal was in 2016 against Pantoja, in home and away matches, where Cibao FC won one and drew the other to advance to the final where they fell to Club Barcelona.
Their third semifinal run was in 2018, where they defeated Pantoja and then lifted the champions’ cup with San Francisco de Macorís.
In 2019, Cibao FC had to play two semi-finals, as there was an opening and closing tournament, surpassing Moca FC and Atlético Vega Real. In the Pandemic tournament in 2020, they fell in the semifinals against the Delfines del Este, who lost the last stretch of the O&M university. The 2021 semi-final was won against Pantoja and they were crowned again against Vega Real in the final. The Mocanos were once again victims of the Naranjas in the 2022 semi-final and then in the final, the Cibao troop defeated the Guerreros de Pantoja. Atlántico FC was defeated by Cibao FC in the 2023 semi-final and they were crowned against Moca FC. The penultimate stretch of 2024 was against the aurinegros of the City of Viaduct and in front of their public they defeated the Universidad O&M in the final for their fourth consecutive crown. Cibao FC was first in the Liguilla with 30 points, the result of 8 wins, 6 draws and one defeat. Pantoja occupied the fourth position with 19 points, which were the sum of 4 wins, 7 draws, and 4 losses. As the best goalscorers of Junior Scheldeur’s team, Rivaldo Correa and Ángel Pérez arrive with 10 goals each, Edwarlyn Reyes has 6, Julio César Murillo, Wilman Modesta and Cesarín Ortiz have 4, Yunior Peralta, Javier Roces, Walter Acuña, Julián Gómez and Leonardo Villalba with 2. Pantoja has Louka Bertran with 14 goals, Carlos Sarante 8, Fabricio Moreno with 5, José Jaquez has 3, the same as Jeremy Báez.
