El Salvador comes back for a 2 - 1 win

Ramon Sanchez and Dennis Alas scored goalsto help their side overcome an early deficit as El Salvador beat Trinidad & Tobago 2-1 in a Group B match Thursday at Home Depot Center.

El Salvador 2, Trinidad & Tobago 1

CARSON, Calif. – Ramon Sanchez and Dennis Alas scored goals to help their side overcome an early deficit as El Salvador beat Trinidad &Tobago 2-1 in a Group B match Thursday at Home Depot Center.

Alas was named Miller Lite Player of the Match with his lateheroics. Alas' match-winner came in the 81st minute and helped ElSalvador move even with the United States atop the group. The U.S. beatGuatemala 1-0 in the first match of the doubleheader.

Trinidad & Tobago did well to open the scoring but couldnot find much offense afterward as El Salvador eventually wore down theCaribbean side.

Trinidad, though, was seemingly at a disadvantage before thematch even started. A dispute over World

The teams traded goals in an otherwise drama-free firsthalf. Silvio Spawn opened the scoring in the 8th minute with aspectacular free kick. From a few yards outside the center circle, Spawn hadthe presence of mind to strike the set piece on goal. The ball floated towardgoal and eventually dipped just out of the reach of Salvadoran goalkeeper JuanGomez and into the back of the net.

Afterward, though, Trinidad did not capitalize on themomentum of their stunning goal. The play was mired in the middle of the fieldas neither side threatened the other goal.

El Salvador, though, eventually struck for the equalizer.Eliseo Quintanilla swung the ball from the flank inside the penalty area. CesarLarios attempted a bicycle kick but sent the ball to teammate Sanchez, whostruck the ball from the inside of his knee into the back of the net. The goalsent the hearty Salvadoran supporters into a frenzy. The doubleheader drew21,334 and the figure seemed evenly split among Salvadoran and Guatemalansupporters.

The second half was more open than the first with both sidesexchanging opportunities. Trinidad tried to use its speed to disrupt theSalvadoran defense but 'keeper Gomez stood firm. Meanwhile, the Salvadoranspressured the Trinidadian goal on several occasions and eventually their effortpaid off.

In the 81st minute, Alas finally broke thedeadlock. Jose Martinez found the ball to the right of the six-yard box.Martinez slammed a shot on goal but a Trinidadian defender slid and stopped theshot. The ball rolled out to the front of the goal and Alas raced onto the balland slammed it into the back of the net.

As the noisy Salvadoran supporters broke into deafeningcheers, Alas raced back to the middle of the field after stripping his jerseyoff, a move that cost him a yellow card.

Trinidad tried to mount a late rally but El Salvador didwell to thwart the Trinidadian attack.

El Salvador will play Central American rival Guatemala onSaturday at 3 p.m. ET while Trinidad & Tobago will play the United Statesat 5 p.m. ET. ) EL SALVADOR – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2:1 (1:1)

Ramon SANCHEZ (Cesar LARIOS) 37’; Dennis ALAS 80’ – Silvio SPANN 7’

SLV: 1-Juan Gomez - 2-Leonel Guevara, 5-Jose Henriquez, 18-Alexander Escobar, 19-Alfredo Pacheco, 7-Victor Hugo, 8-Carlos Menjivar (8: 14-Ramon Sanchez), 17-Dennis Alas, 21-Eliseo Quintanilla, 11-Ronald Cerritos, 16-Cesar Larios (64: 23-Jose Martinez).

Booked: Alas 80’, Quintanilla 86’

TD: Carlos DE LOS COBOS

TRI: 21-Jan Michael Williams - 5-Keyeno Thomas, 6-Thomas Nickcolson, 17-Seon Power, 20- Anthony Noriega, 2-Romauld Aguillera, 15-Andrei Pacheco, 16-Silvio Spann (72: 8-Kerry Baptiste), 18-Densill Theobald, 12-Gary Glasgow (66: 11-Andre Toussaint), 14-Darryl Roberts (83: 9-Errol McFarlane).

Booked: Roberts 4’, Noriega 44’

TD: Wilhelmus RIJSBERGEN

Statistics/Estadísticas SLV TRI

Goal Attempts/Tiros Totales 15 11

Saves/Atajadas 4 3

Fouls/Faltas 8 13

Corners/Tiros de Esquina 4 8

Offsides/Fuera de Lugar 5 0

R: German ARREDONDO (MEX)

A1: Jose Luis CAMARGO (MEX)

A2: Hector DELGADILLO (MEX)

FO: Benito ARCHUNDIA (MEX)

Miller Lite Player of the Match: Dennis Alas (SLV

Terra/CONCACAF