Sandy, UT (My Sportsbook) - U.S. star Landon Donovan admitted "we're a better team" than El Salvador, and knows the Americans have to begin the last stretch of 2010 World Cup qualifying with a win Saturday night.
The Americans are third in CONCACAF with four games left in qualifying, and if they fall below that spot in the group, are not assured a World Cup spot. Only the top three teams automatically qualify.
The Americans host El Salvador on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET) at Rio Tinto Stadium in the first of four matches in just over a month two wrap up qualifying. The U.S. visits Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday for its second game of the week.
"These two games," Donovan said, "are games we feel we need to win if we want to get to the World Cup."
With just four games remaining, the U.S. is among a group of four teams at the top of the group separated by just three points. Costa Rica leads, followed by Honduras, the U.S. and Mexico.
El Sal sits fifth, even with Trinidad and Tobago, at the bottom of the group. Saturday's game is a must-win for the U.S. and the trip to Trinidad and Tobago is another game the Americans - now 11th in the FIFA world rankings - need to win to solidify a Cup berth.
Donovan knows the U.S. needs to forget about its last qualifier, a 2-1 loss to Mexico in Mexico City, and focus on the final matches. The Americans will be without central defender Oguchi Onyewu, who recently signed with AC Milan, due to suspension.
Jay DeMerit has solidified a starting job alongside Onyewu but now captain and left back Carlos Bocanegra, who just moved to that spot for the U.S. in June, will likely have to move back inside.
Donovan, who with 116 caps is the most experienced U.S. player, knows the U.S. can't look for any excuses, and anything less than a win against El Salvador is a disappointment.
"We want to be aggressive. If we go out and play tentatively and things don't go our way, we'll be pretty upset," Donovan said.
"We're going to go out, be aggressive and give everything we have," Donovan added. "We're a better team, and if we do that we're going to win the game."
The U.S. tied El Salvador 2-2 in March on the road, rallying from two down in the second half on goals from Jozy Altidore and Frankie Hejduk.
Donovan expects El Salvador to play a little different on U.S. soil.
"They'll probably be very defensive minded and our job is to break them down and try to score a goal early," Donovan said. "If we score a goal early it should help us a lot.
"The longer the game stays at 0-0, the better it is for them."
U.S. coach Bob Bradley feels the team, which has lost its last two matches, is much better prepared for the final stretch than it was for the trip to Mexico. Although there are a few new faces for qualifying - Kyle Beckerman, Robbie Findley and Robbie Rogers - the majority of the group is from U.S. squad that stunned then-No. 1 Spain and finished second at the FIFA Confederations Cup in June.
"I think the group is ready for this final stretch of qualifying. Playing at home is always something that means a lot to all of us, so I expect a great effort and a great result," Bradley said.
The U.S. holds an unbeaten 4-0-3 record in World Cup qualifying against El Sal and can't afford a blemish on that record this weekend.
Elsewhere in CONCACAF, Costa Rico hosts Mexico and Honduras hosts Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, and El Salvador hosts Costa Rica and Mexico hosts Honduras on Wednesday.
