SAN SALVADOR

The margins in World Cup qualifying are paper-thin.

In soccer terms, surviving and advancing often comes down to inches.

Every qualifier Canada’s men’s national team plays is going to be a slog. It’s going to come down to the quality of defending, the finishing.

This team doesn’t create enough chances to watch opportunities go begging.

Les Rouges will happily take a point earned in Tuesday night’s goalless draw at El Salvador’s Estadio Cuscatlan, especially after topping Honduras in their Round 4 opener at BC Place last Friday.

But maximum points were there for the taking. The inches, you could say, didn’t fall Canada’s way in front of goal.

Minutes before halftime, Canadian striker Cyle Larin rose above El Salvador’s ’keeper before heading an attempt off the crossbar. A few inches lower and Canada would be on top of Group A alongside Mexico.

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Instead, the Canadians leave a little less room for error down the road. With back-to-back qualifiers against Mexico in March looming large, this thing could, once again, come down to the final game, the final inch.

El Salvador, meanwhile, is likely saying the same. An inch this way or that way and the hosts might have collected what would have been a crucial three points.

Moments before Larin went close, Salvadoran attacker Dustin Corea was played in all alone on goal. Canadian ’keeper Milan Borjan made himself big to push the attempt wide of goal.

It was an opportunity that saw the passionate Salvadoran crowd literally breathe out in unison. Disappointment in Central America sounds different. They’re not groans, rather massive exhales of air.

Music to Canada’s ears, really. This was a performance we haven’t seen from a Canadian men’s team in close to a decade.

Yes, Canada still hasn’t won a match in Central America since 2004. But it showed so much more than it did three years ago, when qualifiers in Panama and Honduras were a complete disaster.

The moment never looked too big for them, a credit to head coach Benito Floro, who has Canada organized and feeling like it should reach CONCACAF’s final qualifying round for the first time since 1998.

Today's Toronto Sun sports front. LEAP FORWARD ... #CanMNT serves notice its a threat to advance @CanadaSoccerENpic.twitter.com/XrOBRWdrIv — Kurtis Larson (@KurtLarSUN) November 18, 2015

“I’m happy because of two things,” Floro said. “All the players involved in this project continued the positive fight. Secondly, with the final result.”

Under previous regimes, Canada would have folded coming out of the break. Everyone would have dropped, conceding acres of space.

The true litmus test for confidence in the international game is the ability to perform and collect points on the road.

There are also times when it’s just about survival. The Canadians survived El Salvador’s uptick in energy through the first 10 minutes of the second half.

They claimed 50-50s with their heads. The Salvadorans, while buzzing, only produced one clear-cut opportunity.

In the 54th minute, Corea weaved through traffic on the right side of the area before unleashing a left-footed drive that Borjan pushed aside.

After that, Floro packed it in. A double substitution saw defensive-minded players in Samuel Piette and David Edgar replace Will Johnson and Julian de Guzman, who continues to perform at the age of 34.

“All three of our central midfielders have played a lot and both Julian de Guzman and Will Johnson had a yellow card, so we supposed in the last 10 minutes the opposition was going to develop a good press,” Floro said of the changes. “We needed players in good condition.”

There were nervy moments through the final quarter-hour, with El Salvador approaching Borjan’s goal before an errant pass or a last-ditch defensive effort broke things up.

When was the last time a Canadian team made opposing fans restless? Instead of pushing their team on, local fans were grunting loudly by the end.

“We knew they were going to press,” Canadian defender Adam Straith said. “They had the pressure from the crowd. The crowd was pushing them on the last few minutes. We held strong and didn’t let any goals in which is something we wanted to do. That’s a positive.

“We spend a lot of time on our shape and being tough to break down. That’s what we pride ourselves on. That’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

The Canadians had a chance of their own to win it in the end when second-half substitute Tesho Akindele received along the left edge of the penalty area.

Akindele used his fresh legs to cut in on his right before his look from the top of the box missed over the goal. Floro put hands to his head.

Larin had another chance in stoppage time after muscling off a defender, but put his effort from an angle into the side netting. It was the last good opportunity for either side.

At full-time, the Canadians — unbeaten through two games this round — gathered at midfield and shook each others’ hands. They knew four points was the minimum requirement this month to have any chance at advancing.

“The results have been positive, the performances were positive,” Straight said of Canada’s two games this month. “We wanted to get the Canadian fan base more positive about the team.

“I think we did that with a good performance in Vancouver (against Honduras). Now with a decent away performance here, I think we’ve achieved what we set out to.

“Still, I’m a little bit disappointed because there were times in the game where we could have taken advantage. It was a winnable game. At the same time, they’re a good team and it was a deserved draw.”

Now the Canadians regroup while looking forward to March.

While they won’t be expected to pick up points in back-to-back games against Mexico, the Canadians need to hope El Salvador and Honduras play to a pair of draws.

That will leave Canada with much to play for during the final two games in September.

Les Rouges host this same Salvadoran side in the sixth and final fixture.

Based on Tuesday’s result, they’ll like their chances.

After all, through two games, the inches have fallen in their favour.

“Mexico is a very good team, but Canada is going to prepare for the games and I am sure the players are going to play well and be convinced of victory and I think we can win games,” Floro said.

CANADA 0 - EL SALVADOR 0

GOALS

None

DISCIPLINARY

67 - Barahona - El Salvador

69 - De Guzman - Canada

83 - Gersen Mayen - El Salvador

FT - Ibsen Romero - El Salvador

STANDINGS

*After two of six games in Group A

Mexico - 6 points

Canada - 4 points

El Salvador - 1 points

Honduras - 0 points