El Salvador

Report: El Salvador players turned down a match-fixing offer vs. Canada

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The El Salvador national team rejected a bribe before their match vs. Canada that would’ve kept Honduras from advancing.

The group stage is nearing the conclusion in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. In Group A, Honduras looks poised to join Mexico into the Hexagonal. However, the match between Canada and El Salvador will be a big determinant as to who goes through. While El Salvador is out of the running, Canada is three points behind Honduras and could advance through goal difference.

If there’s anyone besides Canada that wants Honduras to get eliminated, it’s El Salvador. The two countries have had a tense relation for decades, and in 1969, they went to war over a series of soccer matches. But when they were offered to win, draw, or avoid heavy defeat against Canada, they rejected it.

Honduras owns a five-goal lead in goal difference over Canada. But if they blow out El Salvador while Honduras loses to Mexico, then Canada will reach the Hex for the first time since 1998. There are numerous ways that can happen though, and a lot has to go their way:

Hey gang. Here’s how we make the Hex. #canMNT pic.twitter.com/Q1JeZPUs5R

— Daniel Squizzato (@DanielSquizzato) September 4, 2016

It’s insulting to suggest that El Salvador would intentionally lose by a lot to ensure Honduras doesn’t get through. Even though they have two points in five matches, they never got blown out, and they showed a lot of heart.

They don’t need a match fixer to try and at least draw against Canada, who have about as much luck at the international stage as El Salvador does. And while the fate of Honduras will surely be on the back of El Salvador’s minds, their main focus will be on putting in a respectable showing against Canada in their final showing.