The Ecuadorian championship needs its own note on the formula – like most South American countries, it had two stages. The 10-team league played twice identical standard league championship – the top three teams of each one qualified to the finals. But the bottom two teams were relegated and replaced with the corresponding winners of the Second Division. Thus, the country effectively had two championships in a year as far as relegation-promotion was concerned. Similarly to many countries around the world, the strongest football was concentrated in few cities: the 1980 season started with 4 teams from the capital, Quito, 3 from Guayaquil, and Manta, Cuenca, and Ambato completed the league. La primera etapa was won by Universidad Catolica (Quito) with 21 points. One point below finished Tecnico Universitario (Ambato), 2nd, and Barcelona (Guayaquil), 3rd, both with 20 points. These three qualified to the final stage, awarded with bonus points – 3 for the first, 2 for the second, and 1 for the third. If anything, La primera etapa did not have a team above the rest: all top three teams lost 5 out of the total 18 matches they played. 4 clubs finished with 17 points – the unfortunate 9th finisher had only 4 points less the the winners. Deportivo Cuenca (Cuenca) was the outsider – they earned only 14 points and were relegated. Manta (Manta) was relegated because of worse goal-difference, but they won 8 of their 18 championship matches – the only other team with the same number was Universidad Catolica, the stage winners. Meantime LDU (Cuenca) and Deportivo Quito (Quito) won the first stage of the Second Division and were promoted.
La segunda etapa produced different winner – El Nacional (Quito) with 24 points. They finished 7th in the first stage, so it was quite an improvement. Barcelona was second thanks to better goal-difference and America (Quito) was 3rd. Both teams finished with 22 points. The newcomer LDU (Cuenca) finished last with 13 points. The second relegated team was again decided by goal-difference, but it was interesting outsider: Deportivo Quito survived at the expense of Emelec ( Guayaquil).
Emelec, one of the best known Ecuadorian clubs, one of the most successful, the traditional powerhouse, suddenly had a weak season and instead of going up, plummeted down to second division football. They and LDU (Cuenca) were to be replaced in the next year by the winners of the second division second stage – LDU (Portoviejo) and Deportivo Cuenca (Cuenca).
Deportivo Cuenca started the 1980 season in First Division and was going to start 1981 again in First Division.
So much about the bottom – the top still had to play. The final stage consisted of the top three teams of each preliminary championships. Every team carried bonus points, depending on their position in the preliminary tables. Since Barcelona finished 3rd and 2nd in the two earlier championships, they started the final stage with 3 points – like the winners. They were the only club finishing among the top three in the both stages, thus reducing the ideal number of the finalists from 6 to 5. Once again the final tournament was played as standard league: every team played twice against all others. El Nacional was the weakest finalist – they did not win even one match. Three ties and 3 bonus points placed them 5th , 3 points behind the 4th. America ended next to last with 9 points – they were the 3rd strongest team at the final, earning 8 points, but had only 1 bonus point, and that decided their final position. Universidad Catolica apparently exhausted their strength in the opening stage – they won 2 matches, lost 2, and tied 4 at the final tournament – way too little for anything but 3rd place and that thanks to their 3 bonus points. Bonus points decided the championship: Tecnico Universitario was the strongest among the finalists – 5 wins, 1 tie, and 2 losses. But their 11 points, plus 2 bonus points, equaled the record of Barcelona, which earned 10 points at the final stage and had 3 bonus points. Goal-difference favoured no club – both leaders finished with +3. The title was decided by more goals scored… Tecnico Universitario scored 11 at the final stage – Barcelona scored 12 and grabbed the title.
Tecnico Universitario (Ambato) had both great and unfortunate season – they lost the title because of one goal they did not score, yet, they got the second Ecuadorian spot in Copa Libertadores.
May be lucky at the end, but Barcelona was most deserving, if one looks at the whole season – they were consistently strong, finishing gradually higher at every next stage – 3rd, 2nd, and when it mattered most – 1st. The squad was nothing much by international standards and could not be, considering the level of Ecuadorian football at the time. As in all smaller South American countries, foreigners were the main force – but they were not famous stars. Brazilians were the imports here – nobody heard of two of them, Nei ( or Ney – real name: Dirnei Celestino, a prolific scorer) and Escurinho, but the third one must be pointed out: the veteran goalkeeper Manga. Despite the stigma of having been a member of the 1966 World Cup Brazilian squad – ‘the worst of all time’ – he was always a winner. After conquering the world with Nacional (Montevideo) at the beginning of the 1970s, winning the Brazilian title with Internacional (Porto Alegre) in the mid-70s, now he was starting a new decade with a title. Manga was 43 years old! He arrived from Gremio (Porto Alegre). Years back he played with much younger Escurinho (b. 1950) for Inter (Porto Alegre). Like Manga, Escurinho was new recruit, coming from Coritiba (Curitiba). The 4th Brazilian was illustrious striker, who arrived from Colombian Independiente Medellin earlier than Manga and Escurinho – in 1977. His name is… tough.
Vitor Epanor da Costa Filho was born in 1949 and played a bit at home, but really made his name abroad – mostly playing in Colombia. There his name was slightly changed and never really stabilized: he was called Victor Ephanor or Victor Epanhor. Never mind, he scored goals and plenty of them.
Some of Ephanor’s goals were spectacular – no wonder he became a legend in Colombia and Ecuador. Misterious name, yet Ephanor is less of a mystery than his new teammates – usually Manga and Escurinho are listed as Barcelona players from 1981 and 1980 is given as the year they played fro their former Brazilian clubs – but Ecuadorian statistics list them as Barcelona players for 1980 season. May be they started the year in Brazil and finished in Ecuador? Who knows.
Four good Brazilians plus few Ecuadorians, the best of whom perhaps was Juan Madrunero.
Juan Madrunero – arguably, the best Ecuadorian midfielder of the 1970s.
By all accounts – strong squad. At least by Ecuadorian measures – hence, the great season and the 6th title for Barcelona. Their first since 1971 – excellent beginning of new decade.