SANDY — Should the United States move on and qualify for the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, it will be hard to know just how important Saturday night's 2-1 victory over El Salvador at Rio Tinto Stadium was in the overall scheme of things. But one thing is certain — it was a very big step.

"We understand how important every game is here at the end," said coach Bob Bradley. "The way results have gone thus far, there haven't been many ties and teams have won at home, so teams are bunched at the top. We have to continue to fight for every point."

No squad in the six-team hexagonal has qualified yet, and with only three games remaining, every contest is magnified. The U.S. and Honduras are at the top of the group with 13 points, while Mexico and Costa Rica are right behind with 12 apiece. El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago are trailing the group with only five points.

"We always say every time we start this process it's never easy," said Landon Donovan after his two-assist performance Saturday night. "People always think it's going to be easy, but it never is. We did a good job making sure we won the game." When the U.S. fell behind the Salvadorans in the 32nd minute, hopes of a return trip to the world's biggest sporting event dimmed, but the way the Americans rallied to score twice before the halftime break showed the type of determination the players have to make it back the their sixth straight Cup finals.

"The guys before us have raised the bar, raised expectations," said midfielder Stuart Holden. "We know that besides playing for ourselves, we have a whole group of guys that we don't want to let down as well. That is why it is so important we get results."

The U.S. picked up its much-needed three points, but it must put the comeback victory behind it quickly as it travels to play Trinidad and Tobago Wednesday night in the Caribbean. It faces a team that was all but eliminated from qualifying with a 4-1 loss to Honduras Saturday night.

"I don't think anybody gives up, but obviously it's deflating for them," said goalkeeper Tim Howard. "It's still a home game, and you wonder how their crowd will react to them. Will they get on their backs or will they give them a lift? It's tough to say. I think the best thing for us is to go down there with our focus and the right mindset."

"It's hard to know (how they'll react)," said Donovan. "They're playing at home so they'll have some pride. I don't know if mathematically they're out but they're pretty close. It's hard to know what to expect, but we can't really worry about that. We have to go and try to win the game."

While a loss to Trinidad and Tobago would not eliminate the U.S., it would put the team in a hole and place enormous pressure on the final two matches.

"We just need to take care of business and win the next one in front of us. A win puts us in a great spot," concluded Howard.

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