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METAPAN, El Salvador - Metapan capitalized on a 55-minute man advantage with three second-half goals by Nicolas Munoz, rallying to beat the Puerto Rico Islanders 3-1 Wednesday night in the CONCACAF Champions League opener for both teams.
Munoz, who has three goals in three games in the Salvadoran league this season, scored in the 51st, 59th and 88th minutes to give Metapan five wins in its last six Champions League matches at home.
The result avenged Islanders' 3-1 win over Metapan in Puerto Rico in last season's Group Stage in August.
Puerto Rico had the better of play at the outset and took the lead in the 25th minute. Nick Addlery chested down a free kick from midfield inside the Metapan penalty area, created some space to turn on defender Ernesto Aquino and beat goalkeeper Fidel Mondragon inside the right post.
Metapan gained an advantage in the 35th when Honduran referee Raul Castro ejected Puerto Rico's Jay Needham for a forearm to the face of Jorge Ramirez as both ran toward the Islanders goal in an off-the-ball incident.
Puerto Rico manager made an almost immediate tactical, inserting defender Christian Ibeagha for forward Jonathan Fana.
The move didn't negate the disadvantage as Metapan controlled from the outset of the second half.
After Metapan hit the crossbar in the 50th, Munoz equalized for Metapan two minutes later, heading in Alfredo Pacheco's unchallenged cross from the left side.
Munoz then put the Salvadorans ahead, heading in Eliseo Quintanilla's corner kick from just outside the six. He completed his night with a finale in the 88th, sliding to knock in Paolo Suarez's low cross through the six-yard box.
It was Munoz's second game with two or more goals in less than two weeks, having scored a pair in a 2-0 win July 21 against fellow Champions League qualifier FAS.
The match finished under a heavy rain with Metapan holding nearly twice the possession as Puerto Rico, which struggled to mount any offense in the final 45 minutes.
Metapan next will face the LA Galaxy in Los Angeles on August 23, while the Islanders will travel to California a week later.
