SANDY, Utah  For all its struggles to reach the elite ranks of international competition, the United States soccer team has been able to rely on success against El Salvador.

The games have been trusted vehicles in taking the Americans toward World Cup qualification. So the United States’ 2-1 victory on Saturday night will be not be remembered for how the Americans came back from a deficit against the Salvadorans, but for how the Americans emerged unscathed and a step closer to South Africa in 2010.

“We figured this is a game we should get 3 points from,” United States midfielder Clint Dempsey said.

Those points for Saturday’s win gave the United States 13 in the final round of qualifying and tied them with Honduras at the top of the standings in the Concacaf region. Honduras, which routed Trinidad and Tobago, 4-1, leads the Americans on goal difference. Mexico and Costa Rica are tied for third with 12 points after Mexico’s 3-0 win in San José.