CATHERINE HALL, St James — CONCACAF’s most successful men’s Under-20 team Mexico punched their ticket for the May 30-June 20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand on Monday after another master-class display gave them a 3-1 win over El Salvador in their CONCACAF Championship Group B game here at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

The win took Mexico to an unassailable 12 points, five more than second-placed Honduras on seven with one game each to go. El Salvador are next on five points followed by Cuba on 4, Canada with 3 and Haiti on 2 points.

It was the 15th straight win in CONCACAF Championship where they have not lost since 2009 and will play in their 14th FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup.

Mexico failed to score in the first half for the first time in the tournament, giving play-off contenders El Salvador hope, but then the merciless Mexicans struck decisively with three goals in a five-minute second-half blitz that ripped the hearts out of their stunned opponents.

Jose Ramirez with his third goal of the tournament in the 63rd minute, Alejandro Diaz with his fourth and contender for goal of the tournament a minute later, and the irrepressible Hirving Lozano from the penalty spot in the 68th minute were enough.

Honduras confirmed their place in Saturday’s play-off with a hard-fought 3-2 win over unlucky Haiti after Cuba had all but ended Canada’s hopes, beating them 2-1 in the first game of the triple header.

Despite being forced to play without suspended regular starters Oscar Bernal and Victor Guzman, Mexico did not miss a beat and brought in Erick Gutierrez and Pablo Jaquez. However, it took them over an hour to break down the organised and disciplined El Salvadoreans, who were patient while creating several chances of their own.

Mexico had just two chances in the first half but goalkeeper Carlos Canas got to a cross in the 13th minute and punched it clear, and 20 minutes later the six-foot-plus Guillermo Martinez headed just over the crossbar.

Ramirez broke the El Salvador resistance in the 63rd minute when he caught Canas at his right post and curled the ball high into the far corner.

A minute later Diaz scored a spectacular diving header, going to the left and flicking the ball to the right and past the goalkeeper.

Lozano would not be left off the scoresheet after he was chopped down in the area after a powerful run through the defence. He got up to power home the penalty kick.

Nelson Moreno scored a header in the 88th minute to put a bit of shine on the El Salvador performance, but they have to wait until tomorrow to confirm their place in the play-offs.

In the third game of the day, Honduras gave up a 2-0 lead over Haiti and had to fight back for a 3-2 win as the teams exchanged penalties minutes apart late in the second half.

Haiti’s only bright spot of the tournament, Jonel Desire, scored a brace to take his tally to four, but in another losing effort.

Alberth Elis scored his third goal of the tournament, hammering in a shot in the fifth minute to give Honduras the lead, while Michael Chirinos added a second in the 38th minute.

Desire pulled one back in the 40th minute for Haiti when he slotted home inches from the left upright, and then he took them level in the 69th minute with a penalty conversion that goalkeeper Roberto Lopez managed to block, but only into the striker’s path to pump in the rebound.

Honduras won a penalty of their own in the 72nd minute, however, and in a replay of the one earlier, goalkeeper Guitho Charles got a glove to it but Bryan Rochez was first to react to head it in.