Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Apertura 2009 explained

Season:	Apertura 2009
Relegated:	None in the Apertura
League Topscorer:	Williams Reyes Nicolás Muñoz (11)
Biggest Home Win:	Balboa 5–0 Nejapa (15 November 2009)
Biggest Away Win:	Nejapa 0–4 Alianza (15 September 2009)
Highest Scoring:	Balboa 3–3 Municipal Limeño (30 August 2009) Vista Hermosa 3–3 Isidro Metapán (11 October 2009) Nejapa 2–4 Municipal Limeño (28 October 2009)
Total Goals:	232
Nextseason:	Clausura 2010

The Apertura 2009 season (officially known as Torneo Apertura 2009) was the twenty-third tournament of the Primera División de Fútbol Profesional since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. FAS won the tournament for the 17th time in history, defeating Águila in the finale with a 3–2 victory in extra time. Isidro Metapán were the defending champions, having won their 3rd title the previous season and being the back to back champions. A total of 10 teams contested the league, with none getting relegated (relegation only occurs on Clausuras). The season began on August 14, 2009 and concluded on December 20, 2009. The 10 teams of the Primera División played 18 matches, playing each team twice (home and away). The top four teams qualified directly to the semifinals. Since Vista Hermosa and Isidro Metapán finished with the same points at the end of the regular season, a knockout playoff match was played to determine the last team to advance to the playoffs. Vista Hermosa clinched the final spot for the playoffs with a 1–0 victory over Isidro Metapán.

Promotion and Relegation

Promoted from Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño.

Champions: Atlético Marte
Municipal Limeño (bought the spot of Chalatenango).

Relegated to Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño.

Last place: Juventud Independiente
Chalatenango (sold their spot to Municipal Limeño).

Team information

Stadia and locations

Team	Location	Venue
Águila	Juan Francisco Barraza	10,000
Alianza	Estadio Cuscatlán	45,925
Atlético Balboa	Estadio Marcelino Imbers	4,000
Atlético Marte	Estadio Cuscatlán	45,925
FAS	Estadio Óscar Quiteño	15,000
Isidro Metapán	Estadio Jorge Calero Suárez	8,000
Luís Ángel Firpo	Estadio Sergio Torres	5,000
Municipal Limeño	Estadio Jose Ramon Flores	5,000
Nejapa	Estadio José Gregorio Martínez^[1]	15,000
Vista Hermosa	Estadio Correcaminos	12,000

Team information

Personnel and sponsoring

Team	Chairman	Head Coach	Kitmaker	Shirt sponsor
Águila	TBD		TBD	TBD
Alianza	TBD	Nelson Ancheta	TBD	TBD
Atlético Balboa	TBD	Eduardo Santana	TBD	TBD
Atlético Marte	TBD	Ramiro Cepeda	TBD	TBD
FAS	Reynaldo Valle	Roberto Gamarra	TBD	TBD
Firpo	TBD	Agustín Castillo	TBD	TBD
Isidro Metapán	TBD	Edwin Portillo	TBD	TBD
C.D. Municipal Limeño	TBD	Miguel Soriano	TBD	TBD
Nejapa F.C.	TBD	Gustavo de Simone	TBD	TBD
C.D. Vista Hermosa	TBD	Armando Palma	TBD	TBD

Managerial changes

Before the start of the season

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Replaced by	Date of appointment	Position in table
Atlético Balboa	Luis Zapata	End of contract	16 June 2009	Eduardo Santana	24 June 2009	9th (Clausura 2009)
Nejapa	Nelson Ancheta	End of contract	June 2009	Gustavo de Simone	1 August 2009	4th (Clausura 2009)
Municipal Limeño	Jorge García	End of contract	June 2009	Miguel Aguilar	June 2009	N/A

Regular season

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Replaced by	Date of appointment	Position in table
Municipal Limeño	Miguel Aguilar	Sacked	31 August 2009	Víctor Coreas	1 September 2009	N/A
Atlético Balboa	Eduardo Santana	Resigned	1 September 2009	Jorge García	5 September 2009	N/A
Atlético Balboa	Jorge García	Resigned	15 September 2009	Luis Zapata	24 September 2009	N/A
Vista Hermosa	Armando Palma	Sacked	October 2009	Mario Martínez	13 October 2009	N/A
Alianza F.C.	Nelson Ancheta	Sacked	26 October 2009	Miguel Soriano	27 October 2009	N/A

Playoffs

Semi-finals

First leg

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Second leg

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Final

^[2]

Top-ten goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Williams Reyes	FAS	11
1	Nicolás Muñoz	Vista Hermosa	11
3	José Oliveira	Municipal Limeño	9
4	Josué Flores	FAS	7
	Anel Canales	Isidro Metapán	7
	Leandro Franco	Firpo	7
	Carlos Ayala	Alianza	7
8	Domingo Álvarez	Vista Hermosa	6
	Rudis Corrales	Águila	6
	Manuel Martinez	Nejapa	6

Source: El Grafico

List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in Apertura 2009. The following players:

have played at least one apetura game for the respective club.
have not been capped for the El Salvador national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace

A new rule was introduced this season that clubs can only have three foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or player/s is released.

C.D. Águila