Mexico trounces El Salvador to qualify for the 2010 World Cup

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Mexico swept into the 2010 World Cup in dominating fashion this afternoon when it defeated El Salvador, 4-1, in front of a sellout crowd at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Goals by Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Francisco ‘Paco’ Palencia and Carlos Vela, plus an early own goal by El Salvador’s Marvin Gonzalez that really should have been awarded to Blanco, earned Coach Javier Aguirre’s team its place in South Africa 2010.

The result was never really in doubt. Urged on by its passionate fans, Mexico was determined to erase the memories of a 2-1 loss on the road at El Salvador earlier in qualifying play and to clinch its spot in the world championship before any other team in the region.

The loss eliminated El Salvador and means that the only thing left to decide now is which two of three teams -- Costa Rica, Honduras and the U.S. -- will gain direct qualification to South Africa along with Mexico and which will be forced into a playoff with South America’s fifth-place finisher.

The U.S. plays at Honduras later today and Costa Rica is at home to Trinidad and Tobago, which already has been mathematically eliminated.

-- Grahame L. Jones