Deportivo Pereira
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| Full name | Corporación Social Deportiva y Cultural de Pereira | ||
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| Founded | 12 February 1944 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas, Pereira, Risaralda (Capacity: 30,313) |
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| Chairman |  Luis Fernando Osorio |
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| Manager |  Octavio Zambrano |
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| League | Fútbol Profesional Colombiano | ||
| 2011 season | 18th (Relegated) | ||
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Deportivo Pereira is a Colombian soccer team based in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia. Founded in 1944, Deportivo Pereira will play the Colombian Second Division (Categoría Primera B). They play their home games at the Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas.
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[edit] History
While there are several teams in the Third Division (Primera C), Pereira is the only professional team in Risaralda.
Deportivo Pereira made its First Division debut (Primera A) in the season of 1949. Deportivo Pereira replaced Universidad, a soccer club founded in Bogota that had played its previous season in the 'Pearl of the Otún River', nickname of the city of Pereira.
[edit] First games as a professional team
Founded on February 12th, 1944, the team played its first game at home against Universidad De Bogota, losing 1 to 2. The team's first goal was scored by Ecuadorian player Humberto Suárez. Its first victory was against Bucaramanga, with a final score of 1 to 2, and goals scored by Omar Barahona and José “Mico” Zapata. A second victory as a visitor was obtained against Bucaramanga 3 to 4. The team's first victory playing at home was in October 9th, 1949, beating Huracán 4 to 1, with goals scored by Carmelo Enrique Colombo, José“Mico” Zapata, Inocencio Paz Lasso “Cencio” and an own goal from Huracan's player Santos Isaza. The first top scorer of the "Matecaña" (another of Pereira's nicknames) team was the Vallecaucanian Inocencio “Cencio” Paz Lasso, with 11 goals. The team finished the season in last place with only 14 points.
Deportivo Pereira has never won the First Division championship. The team's last successful season was in 1974, year in which the team reached third place.
[edit] 1982
Led by Gilberto Osorio, the roster included Oscar Hector Quintabani, "Raton" Echeverri, Victor Longo, Viáfara Henry, Gilberto Cabrera, Farid Perchy, Sergio Close, Toro, Benjamin "Mincho" Cardona, Emilio Eduardo Vilaretey, Jairo 'Chiqui' Aguirre, Replacement Goalkeeper Reynel Ruiz, Midfielders Manzi and Ponciano Castro and strikers Abel Augusto Lobatón, Hernan "Pistolero" Villa, Ivan Dario "Chumin" Castaneda. Santin and Uruguay debuted during quarter-finals. During a grim semi-finals game playing as a local, Goalkeeper Vivalda from Millonarios blocked two penalty kicks, and the team lost 2 to 1, crushing the team's dream of making it to Copa Libertadores and playing for the championship. The team finished the tournament in 4th place.
[edit] Other Highlights
In 1991, Colombia's Dimayor decided to modify the tournament so the Second Division's champion would be promoted to First Division and the Last Team from The First Division would be demoted to Second Division. In 1995, the team got a decent sixth place that placed it comfortably far from Second Division. However, During 1997's tournament, the team was demoted to Second Division and it had to remain in Second Division during 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Led by coach Walter Aristizabal and stars like Rafael Castillo, Hernan Dario Cardona, Daniel Velez and Jairo Serna, the team won the Second Division tournament in the year 2000, and returned to First Division. Since then, the team has reached three First Division semifinals, and achieved fourth place during 2003's tournament.
In 2007, the team finished second to last and had to play against Academia for the Second Division's Demotion/Promotion game. Deportivo Pereira was able to keep its place in the First Division, beating Academia 4 to 2, thanks to striker Óscar Restrepo.
By the end of 2008, and after a splendid season, the club's democratization process was started. After several months of legal processes, the team was confirmed by the División Mayor del Fútbol Colombiano (Dimayor) and the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol as the Deportivo Pereira Joint-stock company.
On November 6th, 2011, Deportivo Pereira lost its First Division status by losing in Ibagué 1 to 0 against Deportes Tolima.
[edit] Honours
[edit] National Honours
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[edit] Current roster
As of Jan 28, 2011
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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