San Salvador, January 19 (PL) - With expectations running high, El Salvador's national soccer team will face Miami's Inter, led by Argentine star Lionel Messi, this Friday.

The clash, which many qualify as historic, has been promoted for months in the press and by a fan base where soccer awakens passions.

Fans expect a good performance from their team, which has gone 18 international matches without a smile on its face.

The fans are looking forward to the Golden Ball's exhibition against their senior team at the Cuscatlán Stadium in San Salvador, where stars such as Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who accompanied Messi during his years of splendor at Spain's FC Barcelona, will also be present.

As of Thursday, tickets for the match were 90 percent sold out, despite their high prices.

Tickets sold for between US$200 and US$475, which is more than the country's minimum wage of US$365.

But in addition to all that will be on display, on the field will be the challenge for the Salvadorans to also beat Gerardo "Tata" Martino, the Argentine coach of Inter Miami, whom they will face for the fifth time without a victory.