San Salvador, Oct. 11 -- Jose Fajardo's first half strike helped Panama edge past El Salvador 1-0 in an away fixture, making their way to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifications.
Fajardo broke the deadlock just before the hour, converting at the far post after a run and cross from Michael Murillo from the right side of the penalty area.
The win marked Panama's first CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers and moved them to second place in Group A, behind Suriname on goal difference. El Salvador stands third, two points behind.
Under the current format, the top team from each of the three groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The two best ranked runners up will proceed to the int...