The Charleston Battery’s Fidel Barajas continued his stellar Concacaf Men’s U-17 Championship on Tuesday night, recording his third assist of the tournament as El Tri took a 3-0 victory against El Salvador to advance to the Semifinals and book their place at the 2023 FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup in Peru this November.

Barajas looked bright from the off against La Selecta, whistling a low shot from a training ground corner kick on the right that was saved in the early going. The 16-year-old – who turned professional with the Battery late last season and notched two assists in his first three appearances in the USL Championship – ended the night with five shots and provided the assist on Mexico’s third goal on the night, giving him three goals to go with three assists in five starts this tournament.

The United States also advanced later in the day as San Diego Loyal SC goalkeeper Duran Ferree helped deliver a wild 5-3 victory against hosts Guatemala that earned the side a record 18th trip to the U-17 World Cup in the tournament’s history.

The first professional signing from SD Loyal’s Select program last season, Ferree made three saves on the night as the United States battled a motivated home squad and crowd hoping to claim its first World Cup trip.

The San Diego native got the full Concacaf experience – while facing a late first-half penalty kick, the laser pointers in the crowd came out to try and distract him – but late on Ferree showed he knows how to salt a game away in difficult conditions, a yellow card for timewasting that was noted by his SD Loyal Head Coach Nate Miller.

The United States and Mexico could square off in the Final on Sunday, with both sides awaiting their next opponent in the Semifinals from Wednesday night’s Quarterfinal action. The United States will meet either Canada or Puerto Rico – which includes Tampa Bay United USL Academy players Edgardo Vazquez and Joel Rosa – while Mexico will face the winner between Panama and Honduras.