Guatemala came out on top with a 1-0 win over El Salvador at the Cuscatlan Stadium in a vital Group A matchup of the Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers — a game both sides desperately needed to win to stay in contention for a World Cup spot.
Heading into the match, both teams sat at the bottom of the group standings, trailing Suriname and Panama, who drew earlier in the day to remain joint leaders with six points. That result made the clash between El Salvador and Guatemala even more crucial, as neither team could afford to drop points.
It was Guatemala who made the most of the opportunity. A well-placed strike from Oscar Santis early in the second half proved decisive, handing Luis Fernando Tena’s side a vital three points and reigniting their World Cup qualification hopes.
With this result, Guatemala picked up their first win of the qualifiers and now sit on five points, with two home matches remaining — against Suriname and Panama. El Salvador, meanwhile, drop to last place with three points and will need to win both of their remaining road games to keep their qualification hopes alive.
