1995–96 Categoría Primera A season

The 1995–96 Categoría Primera A season, known as Copa Mustang 1995–96 for sponsoring purposes, was the 49th season of the Categoría Primera A, Colombia's top-flight football league. The season started on 20 August 1995 and ended on 14 July 1996, being the first one played under the European format (from the Northern Hemisphere's fall to spring) following the format change approved in 1994.[1] Deportivo Cali were the champions, winning their sixth domestic league title and first in 22 years with a scoreless draw against crosstown rivals América de Cali on the final day of the season.[2][3]

Copa Mustang
Season1995–96
Dates20 August 1995 – 14 July 1996
ChampionsDeportivo Cali (6th title)
RelegatedAtlético Huila
1997 Copa LibertadoresDeportivo Cali
Millonarios
1996 Copa CONMEBOLDeportes Tolima
Santa Fe
Matches played420
Goals scored1,129 (2.69 per match)
Top goalscorerIván Valenciano (36 goals)
1995

Junior were the defending champions, but their title defense was ended at the semi-finals after placing last in their group.

Format

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The season was split into four stages: the Apertura and Finalización tournaments, the final stage, and the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL:

  • In the Apertura tournament, played from August to December 1995, the 16 teams were divided into two groups of eight teams each with regional derby rivals being allocated into different groups. Teams played each other in a double round-robin fashion, followed by two rounds of regional derbies and two more extra rounds between the teams occupying the same position in each group. The top four teams at the end of the tournament were awarded bonus points, with the first one receiving 1.50 points, the second 1.00, the third 0.75, and the fourth getting 0.50 points.
  • In the Finalización tournament, played from January to June 1996, the participating teams played each other twice in another double round-robin tournament for a total of 30 rounds. The top four teams were again awarded bonus points under the same allocation used for the Apertura, whilst the team topping the season's aggregate table (Reclasificación) was awarded an additional 1.00 bonus.
  • For the final stage, teams were divided according to their placements in the aggregate table: the top eight teams advanced to the semi-finals, for which they were divided into two groups of four where they played every of their group rivals twice. Teams would start at zero points, except for the ones that got bonus points earlier in the season, who carried over those points to this stage. The top two teams in each group advanced to the final group, with the team that topped this group being crowned as league champion and qualifying for the 1997 Copa Libertadores along with the runner-up, whilst the team placing third would qualify for the 1996 Copa CONMEBOL and the fourth would advance to the Copa CONMEBOL play-off against the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL winner.
  • The eight teams that failed to advance to the final stage played the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL, which was also divided into two stages and played under the same format as the final stage. The team that topped the Liguilla's final group would play the final group's fourth-placed team for the league's last Copa CONMEBOL berth.[4]

Teams

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16 teams competed in the season, the top 15 teams of the 1995 season and the 1995 Primera B champions Atlético Bucaramanga, who replaced the previous season's relegated team Cúcuta Deportivo.

Team Home city Stadium Capacity
América de Cali Cali Pascual Guerrero 45,625
Atlético Bucaramanga Bucaramanga Alfonso López 28,000
Atlético Huila Neiva Guillermo Plazas Alcid 22,000
Atlético Nacional Medellín Atanasio Girardot 52,000
Cortuluá Tuluá Doce de Octubre 16,000
Deportes Quindío Armenia Centenario 29,000
Deportes Tolima Ibagué Manuel Murillo Toro 28,100
Deportivo Cali Cali Pascual Guerrero 45,625
Deportivo Pereira Pereira Hernán Ramírez Villegas 30,000
Envigado Envigado Polideportivo Sur 11,000
Independiente Medellín Medellín Atanasio Girardot 52,000
Junior Barranquilla Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez 60,000
Millonarios Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 48,300
Once Caldas Manizales Palogrande 36,553
Santa Fe Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 48,300
Unión Magdalena Santa Marta Eduardo Santos 23,000

Torneo Apertura

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The Torneo Apertura (also known as Copa Mustang I) began on 20 August and ended on 17 December 1995.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bonus
1 Deportivo Cali 18 11 4 3 37 20 +17 37 +1.50 points
2 Deportes Tolima 18 8 5 5 22 24 −2 29 +0.50 points
3 Unión Magdalena 18 8 3 7 21 20 +1 27
4 Millonarios 18 7 6 5 26 18 +8 27
5 Once Caldas 18 5 8 5 23 20 +3 23
6 Atlético Bucaramanga 18 6 5 7 18 20 −2 23
7 Deportes Quindío 18 6 3 9 26 32 −6 21
8 Independiente Medellín 18 2 5 11 17 32 −15 11
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bonus
1 Atlético Nacional 18 9 5 4 29 23 +6 32 +1.00 points
2 América de Cali 18 8 6 4 39 24 +15 30 +0.75 points
3 Junior 18 7 4 7 23 26 −3 25
4 Atlético Huila 18 6 6 6 29 35 −6 24
5 Santa Fe 18 6 5 7 28 27 +1 23
6 Envigado 18 5 7 6 19 19 0 22
7 Deportivo Pereira 18 3 9 6 19 24 −5 18
8 Cortuluá 18 2 9 7 17 29 −12 15
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.

Torneo Finalización

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The Torneo Finalización (also known as Copa Mustang II) began on 14 January and ended on 13 May 1996.

Standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Bonus
1 Deportivo Cali 30 18 9 3 67 30 +37 63 +1.50 points
2 América de Cali 30 15 10 5 50 30 +20 55 +1.00 points
3 Atlético Nacional 30 15 5 10 54 34 +20 50 +0.75 points
4 Deportes Tolima 30 10 14 6 38 34 +4 44 +0.50 points
5 Once Caldas 30 12 8 10 43 40 +3 44
6 Millonarios 30 13 4 13 44 41 +3 43
7 Envigado 30 10 10 10 33 33 0 40
8 Junior 30 10 9 11 50 37 +13 39
9 Cortuluá 30 10 9 11 35 43 −8 39
10 Unión Magdalena 30 9 11 10 34 43 −9 38
11 Deportivo Pereira 30 9 10 11 34 39 −5 37
12 Independiente Medellín 30 10 6 14 26 31 −5 36
13 Atlético Bucaramanga 30 6 13 11 26 41 −15 31
14 Deportes Quindío 30 8 7 15 37 55 −18 31
15 Santa Fe[a] 30 8 7 15 43 53 −10 29
16 Atlético Huila 30 6 10 14 33 63 −30 28
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. ^ Santa Fe were deducted two points.

Aggregate table

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An aggregate table known as Reclasificación including the games of both tournaments (Apertura and Finalización) was used to determine the teams that would advance to the Copa Mustang final stages, as well as the teams that would play the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Deportivo Cali 48 29 13 6 104 50 +54 100 Advance to the Final stages
2 América de Cali 48 23 16 9 89 54 +35 85
3 Atlético Nacional 48 24 10 14 83 57 +26 82
4 Deportes Tolima 48 18 19 11 60 58 +2 73 Advance to the Final stages and qualification for the Copa CONMEBOL[a]
5 Millonarios 48 20 10 18 70 59 +11 70 Advance to the Final stages
6 Once Caldas 48 17 16 15 66 60 +6 67
7 Unión Magdalena 48 17 14 17 55 63 −8 65
8 Junior 48 17 13 18 73 63 +10 64
9 Envigado 48 15 17 16 52 52 0 62 Advance to the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL
10 Deportivo Pereira 48 12 19 17 53 63 −10 55
11 Atlético Bucaramanga 48 12 18 18 44 61 −17 54
12 Cortuluá 48 12 18 18 52 72 −20 54
13 Deportes Quindío 48 14 10 24 63 87 −24 52
14 Atlético Huila (R) 48 12 16 20 62 98 −36 52 Advance to the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL and relegation by average to Categoría Primera B
15 Santa Fe[b] 48 14 12 22 71 80 −9 52 Advance to the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL
16 Independiente Medellín 48 12 11 25 43 63 −20 47
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Since Atlético Nacional and América de Cali, who placed third and fourth in the final group, were ineligible to qualify for the 1996 Copa CONMEBOL, the berth was awarded to the aggregate table's fourth-placed team, Deportes Tolima.[5]
  2. ^ Santa Fe were deducted two points.

Final stages

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Semi-finals

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Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AME CAL MAG ONC
1 América de Cali 6 3 2 1 6 2 +4 12.75[a] Advance to Final group 2–0 2–0 1–0
2 Deportivo Cali 6 2 1 3 6 9 −3 11[b] 0–0 1–0 2–1
3 Unión Magdalena 6 3 1 2 7 7 0 10 1–0 2–1 3–2
4 Once Caldas 6 1 2 3 9 10 −1 5 1–1 4–2 1–1
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. ^ Season bonus: 1.75 points
  2. ^ Season bonus: 4 points

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MIL NAC TOL JUN
1 Millonarios 6 4 0 2 11 7 +4 12 Advance to Final group 3–0 2–1 2–0
2 Atlético Nacional 6 2 2 2 5 7 −2 9.75[a] 1–2 2–1 1–0
3 Deportes Tolima 6 2 1 3 7 7 0 8[b] 2–1 0–0 1–2
4 Junior 6 2 1 3 6 8 −2 7 3–1 1–1 0–2
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. ^ Season bonus: 1.75 points
  2. ^ Season bonus: 1 point

Final group

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CAL MIL NAC AME
1 Deportivo Cali (C) 6 3 2 1 11 7 +4 12[a] Qualification for the Copa Libertadores 4–1 3–1 2–1
2 Millonarios 6 4 0 2 11 6 +5 12[a] 3–1 2–0 3–0
3 Atlético Nacional 6 1 2 3 6 10 −4 5 Ineligible for Copa CONMEBOL qualification[b] 1–1 0–2 2–0
4 América de Cali 6 1 2 3 4 9 −5 5 0–0 1–0 2–2
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Apertura and Finalización bonus points, 3) Wins, 4) Goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Away goals for, 7) Goals against, 8) Away goals against, 9) Drawing of lots.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Apertura and Finalización bonus points: Deportivo Cali 3, Millonarios 0.
  2. ^ Originally, the final group's third-placed team would qualify for the Copa CONMEBOL and the fourth-placed team would play a play-off against the Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL winners for the final Copa CONMEBOL berth, however, Atlético Nacional and América de Cali were both ineligible for Copa CONMEBOL qualification since the former took part in the 1996 Supercopa Libertadores and the latter took part in the 1996 Copa Libertadores.[5]


 1995–96 Categoría Primera A champions 
Deportivo Cali
6th title

Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL

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Liguilla semi-finals

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Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ENV SFE QUI PER
1 Envigado 6 3 2 1 9 7 +2 12[a] Advance to Liguilla final group 2–0 1–1 2–1
2 Santa Fe 6 3 0 3 7 7 0 9 3–1 1–0 1–2
3 Deportes Quindío 6 2 2 2 7 5 +2 8 1–1 1–2 3–0
4 Deportivo Pereira 6 2 0 4 5 9 −4 6 1–2 1–0 0–1
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. ^ Season bonus: 1 point

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification COR DIM HUI BUC
1 Cortuluá 6 2 3 1 10 9 +1 9 Advance to Liguilla final group 1–0 1–1 3–0
2 Independiente Medellín 6 2 3 1 8 7 +1 9 4–4 1–0 1–0
3 Atlético Huila 6 2 2 2 8 4 +4 8 3–0 0–0 4–1
4 Atlético Bucaramanga 6 1 2 3 5 11 −6 5 1–1 2–2 1–0
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Wins, 3) Goal difference, 4) Goals for, 5) Away goals for, 6) Goals against, 7) Away goals against, 8) Drawing of lots.

Liguilla final group

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SFE ENV COR DIM
1 Santa Fe 6 4 2 0 11 4 +7 14 Qualification for the Copa CONMEBOL[a] 1–0 2–0 3–1
2 Envigado 6 3 2 1 6 3 +3 11 1–1 1–0 1–0
3 Cortuluá 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6 1–1 1–1 1–0
4 Independiente Medellín 6 0 1 5 5 13 −8 1 1–3 0–2 3–3
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Apertura and Finalización bonus points, 3) Wins, 4) Goal difference, 5) Goals for, 6) Away goals for, 7) Goals against, 8) Away goals against, 9) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. ^ Santa Fe qualified for the Copa CONMEBOL as Liguilla Pre-CONMEBOL winners since the final group's fourth-placed team América de Cali was ineligible for Copa CONMEBOL qualification.[5]

Top goalscorers

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Rank Player Club Goals
1   Iván Valenciano Junior 36
2   Víctor Aristizábal Atlético Nacional 33
  Edison Mafla Deportivo Cali
4   Adolfo Valencia Santa Fe 25
5   Hugo Arrieta Deportivo Pereira 24
6   Manuel Acisclo Córdoba Atlético Huila 22
  Rubén Darío Hernández Santa Fe
8   Antony de Ávila América de Cali 21
  Walter Escobar Deportivo Cali
  Daniel Tílger Deportes Quindío

Source: Historia del Fútbol Profesional Colombiano 70 Años[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Así han sido los sistemas de juego del campeonato profesional del fútbol colombiano en sus 60 años" [This is how the systems of play of the Colombian football's professional championship have been in its 60 years] (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  2. ^ "La sexta: la inédita temporada 1995/96 del FPC y la estrella del Cali" [The sixth one: the FPC′s unprecedented 1995–96 season and Cali's star] (in Spanish). Vavel. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Hace 25 años: Deportivo Cali alcanzaba su sexta estrella tras 22 años de sequía" [25 years ago: Deportivo Cali reached their sixth star after a 22-year drought] (in Spanish). El País. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Colombia 1995/96". RSSSF. 25 November 1999. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "CONMEBOL consolación para el Tolima" [CONMEBOL consolation for Tolima] (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 24 July 1996. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  6. ^ Ruiz Bonilla, Guillermo (2018). Historia del Fútbol Profesional Colombiano 70 Años (First ed.). Bogotá, Colombia: Mundo Fútbol SAS. p. 331. ISBN 9-789584-852731.
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