A.D. Isidro Metapán
Asociación Deportiva Isidro Metapán, also known simply as Isidro Metapán, is a Salvadoran sports club based in Metapán, Santa Ana, El Salvador.
It is best known for its professional football team, which plays in the Primera División, the top tier of the El Salvador football league system, and is one of the most successful club in El Salvador football history, having won 10 national titles.
Isidro Metapán was founded in 2000, after the merger of Isidro Menéndez and Metapán FC. The club had its period of greatest success in the 2000s.
Since the formation of the Apertura/Clausura, A.D. Isidro Metapán has been the dominant club in El Salvador football, winning ten championships. Their traditional local rivals are FAS.
Since the beginning of the 2000–01 season, A.D. Isidro Metapán has played its home games at the Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez. The team colours are blue, red and white, and the team crest shows the white and blue and the Jaguar. The club has other departments in basketball, and others.
History
Present history
In 2000, Metapán FC and Isidro Menéndez, two Second Division strugglers, chose to merge. In 2001, the newly born club won promotion to the Primera División with a 3–2 playoff win over Jocoro FC.The club quickly consolidated their position as a mid-table side, and starting in Apertura 2004 began making title pushes.
They qualified for the playoffs for the first time that year by defeating Luis Ángel Firpo in a fourth place playoff. In Apertura 2005, they finished the regular atop the table, defeated Once Municipal in the semi-finals, and only fell short of their first title after a 2–0 extra time loss to Vista Hermosa.
In Clausura 2007, the club finally bettered that result, taking home their first ever championship with a 1–0 extra time win over Luis Ángel Firpo. That qualified the team for the CONCACAF Champions League for the very first time, although they did not get past the preliminary rounds.
Over the next several years, Isidro Metapán began to surpass the traditional powers of Salvadoran football. They won their second title in a penalty shootout over Chalatenango in Apertura 2008, then defended their crown in Clausura 2009 with a 1–0 win over Luis Ángel Firpo. Alexander Amaya scored that winner in the 58th minute.
After a near miss in the Apertura 2009, Isidro returned to the top for the third time in four seasons by winning the championship of Clausura 2010. Léster Blanco and Paolo Suárez each scored in a 3–2 win over Águila.
In each season from 2007–2010, the club had won the title at least once. They would win it for a fourth time in five in Apertura 2010, beating Alianza 4–3 in a penalty shootout.
2011–2012 was the most successful season in club history. It started in the summer, in the CONCACAF Champions League. Metapan qualified for the group stages, and a 2–0 win over Mexican team Santos Laguna allowed them to qualify out of the groups into the quarterfinals for the first time. Although UNAM Pumas eliminated them at that stage, it had still been a very successful run.
Meanwhile, domestically, Metapán won a sixth title in eight years with a 1–0 victory over Once Municipal the lone goal coming from Paolo Suárez in the 51st minute.
They narrowly missed a repeat that spring in the Clausura, losing 2–1 to Áquila in the championship match. However, they recovered to win a seventh championship in nine years, defeating Alianza in extra time to win the Apertura 2012. For a moment it looked like the hero would be Metapán's top goal scorer Nicolás Muñoz, who scored from a free kick in extra time. However Sean Fraser of Alianza equalized with a header, forcing the match into penalties. After a dramatic shootout, Isidro Metapán won 6–5.
They won their 8th title in Apertura 2013, beating FAS 1–0 on a goal from Andrés Flores in the 85th minute.
On 25 May 2014 Isidro Metapán won the Primera División title for the ninth time in the club history, defeating Dragón on penalties 6–5.
Title number 10 came in Apertura 2014, as Metapán defeated Águila in penalties 3–2. Once again, Nicolás Muñoz played an important role in taking the match to penalties with an extra time goal.
Sponsorship
Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
Home stadiums
The team currently plays in the Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez. The stadium is located in Metapán, Santa Ana. A new stadium is currently being built and is expected to be finished in the year 2015 or 2016- Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez
- Complejo Deportivo Metapán
Honours
- Primera División: 10
- – : Clausura 2007, Apertura 2008, Clausura 2009, Clausura 2010, Apertura 2010, Apertura 2011, Apertura 2012, Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Apertura 2014
- Liga de Ascenso: 1
- – : 2000–01
Performance in International competitions
- Copa Interclubes UNCAF: 1 appearance
- CONCACAF Champions League: 7 appearances
- Copa Mesoamericana: 1 appearance
Records and statistics
Current squad
Out on loan
In
Out
Current coaching staff
Position | Name |
Manager | Víctor Coreas |
Assistant manager | Alberto Grande |
Reserve manager | Héctor Mejía |
Under 17 Manager | Jose Oswaldo Figueroa |
Goalkeeper coach | Fidel Mondragón |
Physical Trainer | Rene Ramirez |
Female manager and under 17 | Edelio Ramirez |
Physiotherapy | Tedinho Dos Santos |
Utility | William Martinez and Jonathan Avelar |
Kinesiologo | Roberto Antonio Bayona |
Reserve squad
As of 2018:Management
List of notable players
List of retired numbers
15 – Retired in 2011 in recognition of goalkeeper Álvaro Misael Alfaro. Alfaro was a major player for Metapán who suffered a neck injury which forced him to retire from the game. In 2011, the number was brought out of retirement and given to back-up goalkeeper.18 – Retired in 2011 in recognition of midfielder Nelson Rivera. Rivera was shot in the head and died after unknown gunmen attacked the car he was traveling in. The number was brought out of retirement in 2012.
20 – Retired in 2015 in recognition of midfielder Héctor Mejía. Mejía was a long serving and major player for Metapán, he participated in all 10 of Metapán title victories. He retired as Metapán most decorated and most capped player in their history.
One-club men
List of coaches
Isidro Metapán has had 12 permanent managers since the club was formed after the merger of Metapán FC and Isidro Menéndez FC. Edwin Portillo holds the record for most championships won with the club with 7, longest-serving manager in terms of time consecutively of time with 8 years between 2006 and 2013, and most tenures as coach of Metapán with 6. Jorge Rodríguez the manager holds the record with most consecutive titles with three.This list also includes the coaches who coached CESSA/Metapán FC and Isidro Menéndez
Name | Period | Trophies |
Francisco Javier Flores "Paco Flores" | 1974 | |
Edgardo Monroy | 1984–85 | |
Conrado Miranda | 1985–86 | |
Jorge Suárez | 1987–89 | |
João Cassiano de Oliveira | 1989 | |
Ricardo Guardado | 1990–93 | |
Francisco Javier Flores "Paco Flores" | 1994 | |
Calazán Quintana | 1996–1997 | |
Nelson Mauricio Ancheta | 1999 | |
Edwin Portillo | 2000 – Oct 2001 | Liga de Ascenso |
José Calazán | October 2001 – January 2002 | |
Roberto Fabrizio | February 2002 – September 2002 | |
Edwin Portillo | October 2002 – June 2003 | |
Raúl Héctor Cocherari | June 2003 – October 2003 | |
René Ramírez | November 2003 – January 2004 | |
Saul Rivero | February 2004 – June 2004 | |
Marcelo Javier Zuleta | June 2004 – August 2004 | |
Edwin Portillo | August 2004 – June 2005 | |
Rubén Alonso | July 2005 – October 2006 | |
Edwin Portillo | Oct 2006 – March 2013 | Clausura 2007, Apertura 2008, Clausura 2009, Clausura 2010, Apertura 2010, Apertura 2011, Apertura 2012 |
Jorge Rodríguez | March 2013 – December 2016 | Apertura 2013, Clausura 2014, Apertura 2014 |
Roberto Gamarra | December 2016 – April 2017 | |
Misael Alfaro | April 2017 | |
Edwin Portillo | May 2017 – May 2018 | |
Agustín Castillo | May 2018 – December 2018 | |
Edwin Portillo | December 2018– December 2019 | |
Victor Coreas | December 2019– |