 In 1977 CONCACAF Championship qualification La Selecta played against three other teams ( Costa Rica , Guatemala , and Panama ) in a home @-@ and @-@ away round @-@ robin group . The top two finishers advanced final tournament . Guatemala won the group and El Salvador was runner – up . In the finals , hosted in Mexico , El Salvador played five games ; they won two , drew one , and lost two . They finished in third place , below Haiti and Mexico ( with the hosts winning the tournament . El Salvador participated in the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games , hosted in Colombia , marking the seventh time El Salvador participated in this competition . For the fourth time , Cuba was crowned champions . El Salvador finished in ninth place . 
