Cibao FC Seeks its Tenth Final in the LDF
Santiago.- Cibao FC prepares for its ninth participation in a semifinal of the Dominican Football League (LDF). This Saturday, the team will face Club Atlético Pantoja in a match that promises excitement, starting at 4:00 in the afternoon at the Panamericano stadium. This event is dedicated to the memory of Dr. José Rafael Abinader. In their eight previous participations, the orange team has managed to advance to the final on seven occasions, accumulating an impressive record of five titles, including four consecutive ones, and two runner-up finishes.His first semifinal, in 2016, was precisely against Pantoja. Cibao FC won one match and tied another, securing their pass to the final, where they finally fell to Club Barcelona.
In 2017, in their second semifinal, Cibao FC faced Atlántico FC, losing in a closely contested series that was decided by penalties, with a score of 4-2. 2018 marked their third consecutive semifinal, once again surpassing Pantoja and taking the title against San Francisco de Macorís. In 2019, Cibao FC played two semifinals, one for the opening tournament and another for the closing tournament, surpassing Moca FC and Atlético Vega Real. In the 2020 tournament, affected by the pandemic, they fell in the semifinals against the Eastern Dolphins. The 2021 semi-final saw them defeat Pantoja and be crowned champions against Vega Real in the final. In 2022, the Mocanos were defeated again by the Naranjas in the semifinals, and in the final, the Cibao team defeated the Guerreros de Pantoja. In 2023, Cibao FC defeated Atlántico FC in the semifinals and was crowned champion against Moca FC. The last stretch of 2024 saw them face the aurinegros of the City of the Viaduct and, in front of their public, defeat the Universidad O&M in the final, achieving their fourth consecutive crown. Cibao FC led the Liguilla with 30 points, the result of 8 victories, 6 draws and only one defeat. Pantoja, for his part, placed in fourth position with 19 points, adding 4 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses. Regarding goalscorers, Rivaldo Correa and Ángel Pérez lead Cibao FC with 10 goals each. Edwarlyn Reyes has 6 goals, while Julio César Murillo, Wilman Modesta, and Cesarín Ortiz have 4 goals each. Yunior Peralta, Javier Roces, Walter Acuña, Julián Gómez, and Leonardo Villalba have scored 2 goals. By Pantoja, Louka Bertran stands out with 14 goals, followed by Carlos Sarante with 8, Fabricio Moreno with 5, and José Jaquez and Jeremy Báez with 3 goals each.
