 El Salvador played four other teams ( Costa Rica , Guatemala , Honduras , and Panama ) in 1981 CONCACAF Championship qualification , once again in a home @-@ and @-@ away round @-@ robin group with the top two teams advancing to the final tournament . El Salvador and Honduras finished top of the group with equal point . Honduras was acclaimed group winner by goal difference . Once again the finals would be doubling as World Cup qualification , this time for the 1982 FIFA World Cup . The format was one six – team group stage , with the first place team winning the tournament , and qualifying for the World Cup alongside the runner – up . Going into the final matches , with every team having played 4 matches out of five , El Salvador had 4 points and was in third place by goal difference , with Mexico ( second place ) and Canada ( fourth place ) both also having 4 points . Honduras led with 7 points , Cuba was in fifth with 3 points , and Haiti was last with 2 points . On 19 November 1981 , in their final match El Salvador beat Haiti 1 – 0 , their goal being a penalty kick taken by Norberto Huezo , bringing them to 6 points . On 21 November Canada tied with Cuba 2 – 2 , eliminating both teams . In the decisive match on 22 November , Honduras tied with Mexico 0 – 0 , meaning Honduras won the tournament and Honduras and El Salvador qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup , the second ( and last ) time El Salvador qualified for the World Cup . The national team was under the direction of Mauricio " Pipo " Rodríguez . 
