Luis Alonso Anaya Merino (born May 19, 1981) is a Salvadoran former professional football player. He was banned for life in 2013, for match fixing while playing for the El Salvador national football team.

Luis Anaya
Personal information
Full name Luis Alonso Anaya Merino
Date of birth (1981-05-19) May 19, 1981 (age 42)
Place of birth San José Guayabal, El Salvador
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+12 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1992–1995 ADFA Cuscatlán
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 C.D. San José
1997–2005 Platense
2005 FAS
2006–2007 Águila 28 (0)
2007–2008 Chalatenango 26 (0)
2008–2010 Alianza 30 (1)
2010–2011 UES[1]
2011–2014 Águila 76[2] (2)
International career
2006–2011 El Salvador 37 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 6, 2017
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 6, 2017

Club career edit

Anaya started his senior career at local side San José, before moving to Salvadoran Second Division side Platense where he stayed for almost 8 years.

In May 2005, he made his debut in the Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador for Salvadoran giants FAS against Águila,[3] whom he joined after winning the 2005 Clausura title with FAS a month after that debut.

In 2008, he signed with Chalatenango, only to move on to Alianza in the same year.

He joined CD UES for the 2010 Apertura season.

International career edit

Anaya officially received his first cap on October 7, 2006, in a friendly match against Panama.

He scored his first goal for the national team on August 22, 2007, in a friendly match against Honduras.

His second, and most important goal came almost a year later on June 22, 2008, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Panama.

His 87th-minute goal, led El Salvador to a 3–1 win, and in doing so helped secured the national team a spot in the following round of qualification.

He has earned a total of 35 caps, scoring 2 goals. He has represented his country in 8 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[4] and played at the 2007 UNCAF Nations Cup.[5] He also was a non-playing squad member at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[6]

He did not play for his country since an October 2008 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Suriname and was only over two years later called up for the 2011 Copa Centroamericana by then coach José Luis Rugamas.

With Rubén Israel as coach, Anaya was called up to take part at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup where he earned 4 caps in 4 games.

Anaya received two yellow cards at the semi-finals match against Panama for complaining.

In a friendly match against Venezuela, on 7 August 2011, Anaya was sent off with two yellow cards, because he complained and celebrated in front of the technical area of the Venezuelans.

On September 20, 2013, Anaya was one of 14 Salvadoran players banned for life due to their involvement with match fixing.[7]

International goals edit

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 22 August 2007 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador   Honduras 1–0 2–0 Friendly match
2 22 June 2008 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador   Panama 3–1 3–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 6 September 2011 Truman Bodden Stadium, George Town, Cayman Islands   Cayman Islands 1–2 1–4 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 6 September 2011 Truman Bodden Stadium, George Town, Cayman Islands   Cayman Islands 1–3 1–4 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours edit

2005 Clausura, 2006 Clausura

References edit

  1. ^ "UES es prioridad para Luis Anaya". Archived from the original on 2017-04-07. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  2. ^ "Luis Anaya :: Luis Alonso Anaya Merino ::".
  3. ^ Player profile - CD FAS (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Luis AnayaFIFA competition record (archived)
  5. ^ "UNCAF (Qualifying Tournament for Gold Cup) 2007 - Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2008-10-24.
  6. ^ "CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2007 - Full Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2008-10-24.
  7. ^ "El Salvador match-fixing: 14 footballers banned for life". BBC News. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.

External links edit