GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Harold Osorio scored late to give El Salvador a 1-0 away win over Guatemala on Thursday in the first match of the final round of Central America World Cup qualifiers.
Osorio’s 79th-minute goal was just enough for the Salvadorians who’re trying to advance for their first World Cup since Spain in 1982.
El Salvador leads Group A with three points, two clear of Panama and Suriname.
El Salvador will be aiming for back-to-back wins when it hosts Suriname next Monday, when Guatemala visits Panama.
Twelve teams, divided into three groups, are vying for three direct spots from regional qualifying for next year’s World Cup. The United States, Canada and Mexico have qualified automatically as World Cup co-hosts.
In the earlier CONCACAF World Cup Group A qualifying game, P