World Cup Profile: Rising El Salvador seeks return to glory

January 30, 2009

Having climbed to heights in the FIFA ranking it has not seen in nearly four years, El Salvador is looking to reach a little higher in a more meaningful measurement: World Cup qualifying.

Capitalizing on a relatively easy semifinal group, which included Haiti and Suriname, the Cuscatlecos have advanced to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, something it hadn’t done since 1998.

Under Mexican coach Carlos de los Cobos, the results pushed El Salvador to 109th by November in FIFA’s monthly ratings, a level it had not attained since January 2005. Now it’s hoping to ride its momentum to South Africa and back to the World Cup finals first the first time since 1982.

Although playing with a limited squad, a 1-1 draw with lightly regarded Nicaragua in its Central American Nations Cup opener did little for its confidence. A 4-1 victory over Belize essentially put in the semifinals of the Copa de Naciones de UNCAF, but a 2-0 loss to fellow World Cup final round qualifier has cast some doubt over El Salvador.

A semifinal and either a third-place or championship match in the UNCAF cup will give El Salvador more time together, and a February 6 friendly in Los Angeles will provide a final test before it resunes qualifying against Trinidad and Tobago on February 11 in San Salvador.

El Salvador heads into the 10-round “hexagonal” having lost twice to Costa Rica in the semifinal round, including a 3-1 defeat at home in the final game after it already was assured of advancing.

Seeking one of three guaranteed berths from CONCACAF in South Africa, El Salvador likely will rely on Rudis Corrales of Salvadoran club CD Aguila, who scored seven goals to equal Jamaica’s Luton Shelton for most in the 12-team semifinal stage.

He has been responsible for a quarter of Salvador’s scoring so far in qualifying, converting crosses and in tight spaces in front of goal. Rodolfo Zelaya of domestic club Alianza, who scored three of his four goals in the previous round in a 5-0 victory over Haiti on September 6,provides another finishing option.

El Salvador’s most critical member could be Corales’ Aguila teammate, left-footed midfielder Eliseo Quintanilla.

Success in the final phase will begin with goalkeeping. De los Cobos split time between Miguel Montes and Juan Gomes, both of whom played three matches each in the semifinal round.

The performance of veteran fullbacks Marvin Gonzalez and Luis Anaya also will be critical to El Salvador making its third appearance in FIFA World Cup finals.

Like his Costa Rica and Honduran counterparts, De los Cobos has been testing his depth during the UNCAF cup, adding Puerto Rico Islanders midfielder Edwin Miranda and forward Carlos Ayala of Chaletelango in an effort to supplement his roster in the final push for South Africa.

By Peter Mallett

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