SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – El Salvador have qualified for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup thanks to a dramatic 1-0 victory over Montserrat in Group B of League B of the Concacaf Nations League on Saturday night at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.
Carlos Portillo scored a header in the first minute of stoppage time to clinch a first-place finish in the group for the Cuscatlecos, who have also earned promotion to League A.
El Salvador had the bulk of the scoring chances throughout, but found it nearly impossible to beat Montserrat GK Corrin Brooks.
Rodolfo Zelaya almost broke the deadlock early with a shot that glanced off the crossbar in the 3’, before Brooks denied chances from Ibsen Castro, Zelaya and a point-blank effort from Marvin Monterroza.
Montserrat started gaining a foothold and on the hour mark Spencer Weir-Daley had the best chance for the Emerald Boys, but his volley missed over the crossbar.
Monterroza had a second crack but could only shake his head in disbelief after another fine stop from Brooks, but there was nothing the Montserrat stopper could to prevent Portillo heading in Castro’s cross in stoppage time to give El Salvador the 1-0 winning scoreline.
