Frankie Hejduk
picked a perfect time to score his first World Cup qualifying goal in 13 years, heading in the dramatic 88th minute equalizer to help the United States national team rally from a two-goal deficit to tie El Salvador, 2-2, Saturday night in San Salvador.
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan's corner kick bounced off El Salvador defender Marvin Gonzalez and Hejduk pounced on it, heading it past goalkeeper Juan Jose Gomez.
Thanks to the Columbus Crew fullback's seventh international goal, the U.S. is atop the group with four points in its first two games of the final hexagonal stage of CONCACAF qualifying.
Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching played the full 90 minutes and Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan also started, replaced by Francisco Torres in the 71st minute for the U.S., which plays host to Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday in Nashville.
Colorado midfielder Pablo Mastroeni was an unused substitute for the U.S.
Fullback Alfredo Pacheco, whose signing with the New York Red Bulls is imminent, played the full 90 minutes for El Salvador, which has two points through two matches and heads to Costa Rica for its next qualifier on Wednesday.
Toronto FC midfielder Amado Guevara played the entire match for Honduras, which conceded a late equalizer Trinidad & Tobago to a 1-1 draw in Port Of Spain Saturday night. Wizards midfielder Roger Espinoza did not play.
Los catrachos, who return home to San Pedro Sula to face Mexico on Wednesday, have just one point in two matches and sit on the bottom of the six-team group.
New York Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas started for Venezuela and played 84 minutes in a 4-0 loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires Saturday night. Rojas, who was booked in the 40th minute, was replaced by Rafael Acosta six minutes from full time.
Columbus Crew forward Alejandro Moreno came off the bench for Venezuela, which has 10 points in 11 qualifying matches, in the 50th minute to replace Roberto Rosales.
Another Red Bulls player, fullback Carlos Johnson, was an unused substitute for Costa Rica, which suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Saturday.
Carl Robinson came off the substitutes' bench in the 65th minute, but the Toronto FC midfielder couldn't help Wales, which suffered a 2-0 loss to Finland at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
It doesn't get any easier for Wales, which has six points in five qualifying matches, because next up is Group 4 leaders Germany at home Wednesday.
David Beckham made his record 109th appearance for England, surpassing legendary World Cup winner Bobby Moore in a 4-0 victory against Slovenia in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan midfielder came on for Aaron Lennon for the start of the second half and set up Wayne Rooney's 70th-minute goal. Beckham also became his country's second-most-capped player of all time behind goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who has 125.
"I am very proud to be up there above Bobby Moore, but the most important thing was the way the team played," Beckham told reporters after the match. "Within the first couple of minutes, we had set the tone. That is what the manager had been telling us to do. Overall it was a good night for myself, but a better night for the team."
England, which has secured 12 points in four games and leads Group 6, faces Ukraine in a qualifier Wednesday at Wembley.
New York Red Bulls defender Andrew Boyens and San Jose midfielder Simon Elliott played the full 90 for New Zealand, which fell to Thailand, 3-1, in a friendly Saturday in Bangkok.
Columbus Crew defender Duncan Oughton also started for the All Whites and was replaced by Jeremy Christie in the 55th minute. Seattle Sounders FC forward Jarrod Smith was ruled out because of an injury.
Bakary Soumare played the full 90 minutes in central defense for Mali, who claimed a precious away point in a 1-1 draw with Sudan in Omdurman in the opening match of Group D play in the final qualifying round. Ghana defeated Benin 1-0 to take the lead in the group; each of the five final group winners qualify for South Africa.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
