Javier Aguirre, centre, will be hoping for a confident win against El Salvador [EPA]

Javier Aguirre, the coach of Mexico, has his sights firmly set on World Cup qualification head of his team's clash against El Salvador at Estadio Azteca on Saturday.

Mexico require only three points to reach football's showpiece event in South Africa next year.

Aguirre has a good record on his side: Mexico have not lost a match at Azteca since falling to Costa Rica 2-1 in 2001.

"If we can manage to pick up three points against El Salvador, we are in the World Cup,'' Aguirre said.

In Saturday's other two CONCACAF qualifiers, the United States play at Honduras and Costa Rica are at home against Trinidad and Tobago.

Difficult task

Like Mexico, a victory will put the United States into the World Cup.

But, playing at Honduras, the Americans have a much more difficult task because the Hondurans will have some extra motivation.

A victory might put them into the World Cup, which would briefly lift the spirits of the impoverished Central American nation, which has been divided since June by a coup. It would be only Honduras' second trip to the World Cup.

Both Mexico and the United States would like to seal their places in South Africa on Saturday. If they fail, the result will come down to the final qualifying group matches on October 14 - and anything could happen with the standings so tight.

Going into the final two rounds, the United States lead the group with 16 points. Mexico are next with 15 points, followed by Honduras with 13, Costa Rica with 12, El Salvador with eight and Trinidad and Tobago with five.

Trinidad have already been eliminated.

The top three teams advance automatically. The fourth-place team faces a playoff in November with the fifth-place team from South America - now Argentina - for another berth.

Marquez return

Mexico should get a lift from the return of Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez, who will be playing his first match for Mexico since being sent off in the 65th minute on February 11 in a qualifier against the United States.

Marquez has been sidelined with a leg injury and has not played for Aguirre since he became coach - his second stint - in April when he replaced the fired Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The last time Marquez played for Aguirre was on June 17, 2002, when Mexico were beaten by the United States 2-0 in the final 16 of the World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

Marquez was also sent off in the second half of that match.

Mexico's big absence will be Giovanni dos Santos, the small, wily Tottenham striker who is probably Mexico's top offensive talent. His injury is expected to keep him out for four weeks.

The major worry for the United States will be missing midfielder Clint Dempsey, who sprained his right shoulder on Sunday playing for Fulham in the English Premier League.

It is not clear if Dempsey will be ready for the match with Costa Rica.

His spot will be filled by defender Frankie Hejduk. The 35-year-old Hejduk scored the final goal in a 2-2 draw at El Salvador in qualifying on March 28.

He was on the American team for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, then was picked for the 2006 squad before missing the tournament due to a torn knee ligament.

Hopeful Honduras

If the Hondurans beat the United States and Costa Rica somehow lose at home against Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras would qualify for their first World Cup since 1982 in Spain.

"Soccer is pain relief,'' former national team coach Ramon Maradiago said.

"It relaxes and distracts us. It pulls us out of bad feelings.''

The blue-and-white clad Honduras team is loaded with talented players, many of whom play for some of Europe's biggest clubs: Wilson Palacios (Tottenham); David Suazo (Inter Milan); and Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas (Wigan).

"It will be something marvellous ... to achieve this feat and be part of it,'' Figueroa said.

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