El Salvador welcomes Honduras with the illusion of winning

San Salvador (AFP) – Excited after deducting a 0-0 draw with the United States, El Salvador faces neighboring Honduras on Sunday in the second date of the CONCACAF eight finals heading to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

El Salvador made a good impression against the United States at home in Cuscatlan. When many expected that he would be crushed, La Selecta knew how to take on a rival that thrives on active club players in Europe. A goalless draw could have been a victory for the Salvadorans.

The result lifted the spirits of the Salvadoran fans, but coach Hugo Perez warned that “there is a lot to improve” and that it will be necessary to win at home.

He replied to reporters, “We don’t have to, but we have a desire to win, which is different.”

He added that “in football there are no obligations, but there are wishes, and the desire we have to make people happy, and that is important to me, but it is not pressure.”

Perez said he had no analysis for Honduras, although he admitted that it is a team with great players who enjoy explosives, but emphasized that they “are not like the United States and Mexico”.

“We know Honduras is an excellent team and we will do everything we can to win,” said Perez, who in April took over as La Selecta technical director, replacing Mexican Carlos de los Cobos.

Born in El Salvador, Perez became an American citizen and participated in the 1994 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States.

Arnold Cruz, the technical assistant from Honduras who spoke with reporters upon his arrival in El Salvador, highlighted the Catracho team’s work against Canada, as they secured a valuable 1-1 draw on the road and confirmed that Honduras will be a strong contender in the competition as they showed the Americans.

“But it has already happened, and now it’s another story against El Salvador and we will do it with all we have,” he said.

Cruz said they do not know if they will be able to count strikers Alex Lopez and Anthony Lozano against El Salvador.

Lopez was injured during the match against Canada and had to leave. Lozano suffers from muscle discomfort.

El Salvador has reported no injuries and the campus is calm.

Honduras and El Salvador add one point, as do the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and Panama. Mexico is the only leader with three units, beating Jamaica 2-1.

The match will be played in Cuscatlán Stadium with a capacity allowed by public health authorities for just over 30,000 fans who enter the “giant” and must present a ticket with two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

Perez seeks to qualify El Salvador for the World Cup for the third time. The Salvadoran national team participated in the 1970 and 1982 World Cup finals, and Honduras qualified for the World Cup three times, participating in 1982, 2010 and 2014.