 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification began on March 5 , 2000 for El Salvador . For the first round El Salvador was drawn into a home – and – away round – robin group with Belize and Guatemala . The top team advanced to the next round and the second placed team advanced to a play – off . They kicked off their campaign with a 5 – 0 home win against Belize and eventually topped the group with 3 wins and 1 draw . In the second round they were drawn into a group with Honduras , Jamaica , and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . The top two teams advanced to the final round ( The Hexagonal ) . El Salvador finished third and crashed out . This is identified as the start of a decline in Salvadoran football . 
