[HEXAGONAL] Mexico avoided the unthinkable but just barely. It got goals early in both halves from Argentine-born Guillermo Franco and Oscar Rojas and edged Trinidad & Tobago, 2-1, at Azteca Stadium to move into fourth place at the halfway point of World Cup 2010 qualifying in the Concacaf zone. Honduras remained third, behind Costa Rica and the USA, with a 1-0 win over visiting El Salvador.

Mexico received a scare when T&T's new star, Hayden Tinto, beat Mexico goalie Oscar Rojas in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

The win was only the second in five games for Mexico.

"It's not ideal to have taken just six of 15 possible points," said Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who replaced Swede Sven Goran Eriksson three games into the Hexagonal. "That's not even half. We hope we're better in the second half of campaign and reach the World Cup."

American referee Baldomero Toledo had his hands full in San Pedro Sula, handing out six yellow cards in the Honduras-El Salvador game. Honduran star Wilson Palacios picked up his second card, meaning he'll miss the Catrachos' next game on Aug. 12 against Costa Rica.

June 10 in Mexico City
Mexico 2 Trinidad & Tobago. Goals: Franco 1, Rojas 48; Tinto 45.
Mexico -- Perez, Rodriguez, Salcido, Osorio, Rojas, Castro, Esquivel (Medina 53), Guardado, Castillo (Sabah 35), Blanco, Franco (Dos Santos 77)
Trinidad & Tobago -- Ince, Hislop, Abu Bakr, Andrews, Edwards, Birchall, Noel (Spann 72), Keon (Baptiste 80), Tinto, Jones (Jorsling 54), Yorke.
Referee: Jose Benigno (Honduras)

June 10 in San Pedro Sula
Honduras 1 El Salvador 0. Goal: Pavon 14
Honduras -- Valladares, Sabillon, Chavez, Figueroa, Izaguirre, Guevara, Palacios, Nunez (W.Martinez, 72), de Leon (Thomas, 83), Costly (Bernardez 90) Pavon.
El Salvador -- Montes, Gonzalez, Pacheco (Torres, 89), Escobar, Salazar, Corea, Sanchez, Quintanilla, J.Martinez, Castillo, Corrales (Reyes, 80).
Referee: Baldomero Toledo (USA).