2016–17 Santiago Island League (North)

The 2016-17 Santiago Island League (North) season was the 16th competition of the second-tier football in the northern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. Its started on 17 December 2015 and finished on 7 May 2016 and was shorter than last season. The tournament was organized by the Santiago North Regional Football Association (Associação Regional de Futebol de Santiago Norte, ARFSS). It was the first ever season without any group stage and would become the longest of any of the regional leagues in Cape Verde and the only that occurred as the following season became the same as the South Zone's. AJAC da Calheta won their first and only title after finishing a record breaking 48 points and a record 15 wins and competed in the national championships. It was one of the newest clubs to win their first titles of any island/regional league in the nation. Also it was the fourth straight time that a club competed for the first time at the nationals and Santiago North being the only one in the country to do so.

Overview

Varandinha was the defending team of the title. The club size reduced to 12 from 14 last season. The overall records were not broken this season, it featured 132 matches equivalent to the island's South Zone. Their result records became second in the region, overall being one of around eight behind Fogo and Santiago South. On the opposites, Juventus Assomada was relegated, a club who spent only a season in the Premier Division since the competition became two-tiers and was the club's 15th overall, União Picos, last placed became the fourth original club to be relegated.

Also it was the second season that featured the Second Division, and was the first with ten clubs, also equivalent to the island's South Zone.

AJAC Calheta scored the most goals numbering 38, second were three clubs Grémio Nhagar, Calheta de São Miguel and Varandinha and third were Tarrafal based clubs of Estrela dos Amadores and Beira-Mar with 36, the least was União Picos with 33. On the opposites, Benfica Santa Cruz conceded the least with 16, second was AJAC with 27 and third was Grémio Nhagar with 29, the most were Juventus Assomada with 36 and União Picos with 41.

Estrela dos Amadores took the number one spot up to the 8th round when AJAC took it, Estrela dos Amadores recaptured it at the 10th round and kept it for their last two rounds until Benfica Santa Cruz got the number one position for the 12th round up to the 15th round when it was interrupted as AJAC took once more the number one spot, Benfica Santa Cruz got it at the 17th round and lasted up to the 21st round, AJAC got it again at the 22nd and final round.

In early February, some of the referees were not paid for the 17th and 26th rounds of last season and the rounds of the season, it led the suspension of the regional competition on February 7 for two weeks. With the help of two major telecommunications companies, one of them Cabo Verde Telecom and its municipalities of where the clubs based, the referees were paid and the competition resumed on February 25. In mid-April, AJAC was second place which was fallen from first, the club was picking up position, they were still second at the 21st round and at the final round won a match over Flor Jovem and the final results went into uncertainty.

Benfica Santa Cruz protested the result as AJAC fielded an ineligible player. AJAC Calheta actually won the North Zone match, as they did not field and ineligible or suspended player Marco Aurélio in one of its matches, the regional association claimed that Benfica de Santa Cruz won the title for the 2017 season. The regional Judicial Council chose Benfica de Santa Cruz to compete at the nationals. The participation at the national level was uncertain, the manager Amarildo Semedo and other clubs opposed it as AJAC did not field a suspended player.. On the other, AJAC was to be relegated for being fake champions. This changed as the federation chose AJAC champions on May 17 as the manager said they did not field a suspended player on the match. After putting that to the federal level, In Praia, the Capeverdean Football Federation (FCF) officially revoked the award to Juventus Assomada and its 2-4 result was kept and also declared AJAC regional champions on May 17 and qualifies into the national competition as the suspended player in a 16th round match was not fielded and scored not a single goal that match, Juventus Assomada was relegated as they were officially 11th place for the season. AJAC's manager said justice is protected in sports. This was the second time after Scorpion Vermelho-Varandinha which occurred last season.

The Second Division started later on December 30 and finished later before the end of May.

Participating clubs

Premier Division

Second Division

• ADEC - Calheta
• Chão Bom (also as Tchon Bom or Txon Bon)
• Delta Cultura - Tarrafal
• Desportivo de Assomada
• Esperança - Assomada
• Inter Cutelo
• Associação Juventus
• Associação Nhagar
• Portas Abertas
• Real Júnior
• GDR São Lourenço

League standings

Premier Division

Second Division

• 1st: GDR São Lourenço

Results

Position changes

Statistics

• Biggest win: Desportivo Calheta 6 - 3 Beira-Mar (29 April)
• Largest goal difference: AJAC Calheta 5 - 0 Flor Jovem (6 May)
• Longest winning streak: Scorpion Vermelho (rounds 4-8)
• Longest unbeaten streak: Desportivo da Calheta: 15 rounds (rounds 8-22)