The El Salvador under-20 team thrashed 5-1 to Guatemala at the start of group G of the CONCACAF Pre-World Cup that takes place in Honduras and secured his first three valuable points to qualify for the round of 16.
It was a solid victory. El Salvador managed the game from start to finish and was forceful in the area. The goals came through Alex Romero, Mayer Gil, Harold Osorio and Dany Ríos, as well as an own goal from a chapín player.
This victory makes El Salvador think about Aruba, their next group rival in a match that could confirm La Azul’s presence in the round of 16 once and for all.
El Salvador took the initiative from the start of the match. He did it with his characteristic style and built the attack from below on the sides with Ronny Arévalo on the right and Mayer Gil on the left.
However, Guatemala came out as expected. They were a conservative team from the beginning and took advantage of any opportunity to create danger through counterattacks.
It was midfielder Jeremy Garay who took the baton of El Salvador’s midfield due to the restrictions of the bicolor team against key players such as Harold Osorio and Andrés Rivas.
La Azul dominated, but the first dangerous arrival was for Guatemala around the 7th minute where Arquimidez Ordoñez got inside the area to try to send a lethal cross, however, the defense resolved immediately.
After the scare in the area, El Salvador managed to do damage with the incursions of Ronny Arévalo on the right and the headaches that Isaac Esquivel gave in midfield. It was there that the Blue had its first great opportunity in the boots of Andrés Rivas, who after several attempts in the area managed to get a shot between two defenders and the ball crashed into the base of Jorge Moreno’s right post. It was the first notice.
Then, around the 13th minute, El Salvador knocked on the door again after a powerful shot from Mayer Gil from the left sector that shook Moreno’s crossbar and luckily went out of bounds for Guatemala.
About the first quarter of an hour, the moment of the match greatly favored El Salvador, who at minute 15 managed to score the first goal of the match with a placed shot from side Alex Romero.
It was a real goal, this after a corner kick from El Salvador that was rejected in the second instance by the defense of Guatemala. The ball was loose and Romero caught the ball and sent it to Jorge Romero’s left corner.
After taking the lead, El Salvador managed the match better and tried to increase its advantage, but the ball did not go in. Opportunities like Harold Osorio’s at minute 20 or Isacc Esquivel’s at 25′ suggested that Azul could increase the goal margin at any time.
But it was not until minute 33 that the second came for El Salvador. It was an own goal by Kevin Mendoza who wanted to prevent Andrés Rivas’ shot from entering his goal, however, all was in vain.
In the case of Guatemala, they never gave up looking for the discount on the last part of the first half, but El Salvador prevented them from generating danger. However, at the last minute, an oversight at Azul’s defense allowed Arquimidez Ordoñez to make room in the area and shoot towards Marco, but Damián Alguera prevented the stoppage goal.
SECOND TIME
In the complementary part, Guatemalan coach Rafael Loredo sent three modifications to the field with the additions of Edy Palencia, Figo Montaño and Randall Corado, but El Salvador continued to dominate the game.
La Azul missed a great opportunity to increase their lead to three goals, but in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Jorge Moreno, Isaac Esquivel missed and sent his shot inches above the crossbar in the 55th minute.
Three minutes later, Guatemala scored the discount through Arquimidez Ordoñez, who after a great individual play entered through the middle of the area to beat Damián Alguera with a powerful shot.
However, El Salvador reacted immediately and scored two goals in less than five minutes under the signing of Mayer Gil and Harold Osorio.
Gil’s goal came when El Salvador needed it most after Guatemala’s discount. The attacker gained ground in a filtered pass and crossed to Jorge Moreno to stamp the third in the game.
Four minutes later, a great individual play by Harold Osorio through the middle of the field that gave him time to take a powerful shot through the crescent that petrified the chapín goalkeeper, who found it impossible to prevent the fourth.
El Salvador finished the game dominating and with the five changes on the court with the entry of Alex Umaña, Dany Ríos, Mauricio Cerritos, Robinson Aguirre and Javier Mariona.
And it was a play between Alex Umaña and Dany Ríos who gave the fifth goal for El Salvador over 85 minutes. Umaña won a great ball on the left flank and sent a low cross to Ríos, who after two attempts managed to send the ball into the net.
With this victory, La Azul starts the CONCACAF World Cup on the right foot and is already thinking about Aruba, its second rival in the group stage.
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El Salvador thrashes Guatemala at the start of the World Cup