The U.S. and Mexico's U-23 teams expected to reach the finals of the Olympic Qualifying tournament underway.
So far, Mexico's plan is on track, after "El Tri" won the first two of three matches, including Sunday afternoon's 3-0 victory over Honduras in Carson.
As the leader of Group B, Mexico next faces Panama on Tuesday but has already clinched a berth in the semifinals.
It's a different story for the American team, which includes South Bay standout and Xolos midfielder Joe Corona.
After pounding Cuba 6-0 in the initial match Thursday night, the Americans unexpectedly lost to Canada 2-0 on Saturday in Nashville in Group A play.
They will almost certainly need to win against El Salvador on Monday at 6 p.m. (San Diego time) to qualify for a spot in the tournament semifinals.
If Canada beats Cuba, which has yet to win a game, and the U.S. dominates El Salvador then the best the Americans could do is finish second in their group.
That second-place team in Group A plays the winner of Group B, which as of Monday was Mexico, in the semifinals.
That match on Saturday would be another in the historic showdowns the two countries have had over time and sure to inflame passions on both sides of the border.
The final is April 2, with both teams earning a ticket to Olympics this summer in London.
editorial@sandiegored.com
