Guatemala Interoceanic Corridor launches tokenization in El Salvador

El Salvador practically said goodbye to the race towards the 2026 World Cup in North America, after suffering a new defeat at home. La Selecta lost 0-1 against Guatemala at the Cuscatlán Stadium, a result that revives the aspirations of the Chapines and leaves the Salvadorans at the bottom of the qualifying group.

With this fall, El Salvador remains with three points, the only ones obtained on the first day, without having managed to take advantage of its home status in any match.

The atmosphere before the game was high intensity. For hours before, the Cuscatlán stands were filled with chants, flags and an atmosphere of rivalry that many classified as a “classic”, where even the national anthems were lived with tension.

The duel was more of a battle than a match. Tactical ideas were lacking and there was plenty of friction. Coach Hernán “Bolillo” Gómez presented four variants in his starting eleven, opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation with the additions of Marcelo Díaz, Joshua Pérez, Jairo Henríquez and Nathan Ordaz. The latter was the protagonist of the first arrivals of danger, but without materializing.

Guatemala, led by Luis Fernando Tena, was more organized defensively and opted for the counterattack. In the first half there were no direct shots on goal, although they resisted the Salvadoran attempts. The clearest opportunity came in the 31st minute, when Sibrián’s header hit the crossbar.

The panorama changed at the beginning of the complement. Just in the 46th minute, a defensive oversight allowed Óscar Santís to score the only goal of the match with a cross shot that beat goalkeeper Mario González. Silence invaded Cuscatlán while Guatemalans celebrated with euphoria.

El Salvador tried to react with the additions of Enrico Dueñas and Rafael Tejada, but fatigue and lack of clarity prevented a tie. Even a controversial play in the 75th minute, in which Tejada fell inside the area, was not sanctioned by the referee.

In the final minutes, Guatemala retreated and defended its advantage with order, securing three vital points to stay alive in the tie.

La Selecta, for its part, will close its participation in November, when it visits Suriname and Panama, although its qualification options are already practically nil.

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