Honduras and El Salvador meet for a World Cup qualifier almost 40 years after the infamous Soccer Wars.
The confrontations on the pitch were a conflagration of more festering problems having to do with land reform, trade imbalances, and illegal immigration culminating in the expulsion of thousands of Salvadorians from Honduras. It sparked a 100 hour war that took 6000 lives, wounded 12,000 more, and rendered 50,000 people homeless. The war ended in a stalemate with a ceasefire brokered by the OAS. The dispute was finally resolved in 2006 when the presidents of the two countries stood on the border and shook hands.
Honduras will host the match in San Pedro Sula where rivalry on the field will be intense with both teams attempting to reach their first World Cup since 1982 and only one point separating them in the final stage of the CONCACAF tournament.
Honduras is a point behind El Salvador and lies in fourth place. The top two spots are claimed by Costa Rica and the USA. The top three automatically qualify for the World Cup with the fourth team going through a playoff round with the fifth placed team in the CONMEBOL group, which presently happens to be Uruguay. El Salvador picked up three points shocking Mexico, 2-1 on a controversial late penalty. Honduras, meanwhile was beaten by the USA, 1-2 after going ahead through a Carlos Costly goal.
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