Suriname Defeats El Salvador in 2026 World Cup Qualifying Group A

Suriname achieved a historic 2-1 victory over El Salvador in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match, marking their first win against the Salvadorans since 1968 and propelling them to the top of Group A in CONCACAF qualifying. Radinio Balker opened the scoring early for Suriname, and after an own goal leveled the match for El Salvador, Dhoraso Klas secured the win with a decisive goal late in the game. This upset ended Suriname's eight-match winless streak against El Salvador and shifted group dynamics, with Suriname moving to four points while El Salvador dropped to three. Both teams entered the match with full rosters and no injuries, setting the stage for a tightly contested game which showcased Suriname's strong defensive organization under coach Stanley Menzo and El Salvador's more potent offense led by coach Hernan Gomez. The match was part of a revised CONCACAF final round qualifying format due to Mexico, Canada, and the United States serving as co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup, with three groups of four teams competing for direct World Cup spots and playoff positions. Concurrently, Panama and Guatemala played to a 1-1 draw, leaving both teams winless in the group after two matches.