 In the World Cup finals El Salvador was drawn into a group with Belgium , Mexico , and the Soviet Union . El Salvador lost their first game 3 – 0 to Belgium in Mexico City on June 3 . The second match was played against the host nation , Mexico , on 7 June . The game was decided by a controversial call near the end of the first half , with the score still at 0 – 0 . Egyptian referee Hussain Kandil awarded a free kick to El Salvador in their own half . However , a Mexican player took the free @-@ kick , passing to another Mexican player who scored . The Salvadoran players protested vigorously , to the extent of physically jostling Bermudan linesman Keith Dunstan , but the goal was allowed to stand . El Salvador restarted the game by kicking the ball into the crowd in protest . They eventually lost the game 4 – 0 . The team 's third and final game occurred on June 10 with El Salvador losing 2 – 0 to the Soviet Union in Mexico City , to finish at the bottom of Group A with 0 points . 
