The second slate of matches of the third round of Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ started on Monday with Suriname snatching a late win in San Salvador against El Salvador to rise to the top of Group A. Elsewhere, Guatemala and Panama are each still seeking their first win after playing to a draw in Panama City.
How qualifying works
In the third round of Concacaf qualifying, the group winners will qualify for the FIFA World Cup, joining hosts Canada, Mexico, and the USA. Additionally, the best two runners-up will represent Concacaf in the FIFA Play-off Tournament™. In total, the Concacaf region could have up to eight teams at the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Group A
El Salvador goal: Anfernee Dijksteel og (73)
Suriname goals: Radinio Balker (12), Dhoraso Klas (81)
Suriname struck late to earn a precious victory against El Salvador in San Salvador. The historic Estadio Cuscatlan was rocking at the start, but was quickly silenced when the visitors took the lead, as Radinio Balker muscled off his marker and thumped in a header off a corner kick.
El Salvador looked to respond through Brayan Gil, who had two looks at goal, but was rebuffed each time by Suriname shot-stopper Etienne Vaessen. Just when Suriname appeared poised to pull away in the second stanza, El Salvador levelled through Gil, who won a ball back deep in the Suriname half and launched a shot that was turned into his own goal by Anfernee Dijksteel.
El Salvador launched forward in search of a winner, but Suriname had other ideas and a well-worked dummy ultimately set up Dhoraso Klas to lash home the winning goal.
Panama goal: Carlos Harvey (37)
Guatemala goal: Oscar Santis (35)
Guatemala secured their first point in the group by hanging on for a draw against Panama in Panama City.
There was action early and often at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, and it was Guatemala who struck first when a Rudy Munoz cross was delicately deflected by Arquimides Ordonez, allowing the ball to fall perfectly for the charging Oscar Santis to fire into net.
The Guatemalan joy was short-lived, as two minutes later Panama’s Carlos Harvey rose high and smacked home a header off a corner kick to even things up. Harvey then had it on a silver platter to give his side the lead early in the second half, but instead headed over the target from just a few yards out.
The scoring chances almost all belonged to Panama in the final half-hour, but the Guatemalan defence held firm until the final whistle for a share of the spoils.
