Mexica women edged past El Salvador 4-1 to book their place in the Central American and Caribbean Games final. The semi-final on 5 August stretched into extra time, where Mexico's depth showed itself clearly. Three of their four goals arrived after the ninety minutes had expired.
L. Bosch opened the scoring in the twenty-fifth minute, a well-taken finish that gave Mexico the cushion they needed. El Salvador responded through A. Lopez in the seventy-first, but the visitors had already dallied on the ball too often in the opening half. By then, Mexico were on a good run and could feel the match slipping away.
The second period brought the turning point. A. Frias struck in the ninety-first minute to restore the two-goal margin, and V. Vargas doubled it in the hundred-and-fifteenth. These were the moments that decided the tie—three or four episodes, not ninety minutes of possession.
Frias added her second in the two hundred and thirtieth minute, a late flourish that left El Salvador with nothing to show for their extra time. The hosts did not need to go for the jugular; they were simply finishing what they had started.
Mexico held 58 per cent possession but registered only three shots on target, which suggests they were content to control rather than attack. El Salvador managed two shots on target against five off target, and the visitors gave away too many cheap fouls. Three yellow cards against none for Mexico tells you where the pressure fell.
The hosts recorded 109 attacks to 102 for the visitors, a marginal difference that masked Mexico's superiority. Seven corners to one in their favour showed where the danger lay. The statistics do not tell the whole story, but they confirm what anyone watching would have seen.
This result extends Mexico's momentum after a 7-0 win over Jamaica on 2 August and a 1-0 victory against Colombia. El Salvador's campaign ends here, despite a 1-0 win over Costa Rica earlier in the tournament. The final awaits, and Mexico will make life awkward for whoever they face.
