Yes, the United States eliminated Panama from World Cup contention a year-and-a-half ago. But no, the Canaleros are not obsessing over that fact in the build up to today’s friendly at the StubHub Center.
BY
Jon Arnold
Posted
February 08, 2015
9:51 AM
CARSON, Calif.—The Central American press typically has a longer memory than we do.
While most American soccer journalists live in Now World, focusing on the absolute latest developments of the U.S. national team, our counterparts in Panama, Costa Rica, and elsewhere in the region tend to obsess over historic goals, stats from earlier match-ups, and long-distant plays.
So I was a bit surprised when I walked into Panama training and asked TVMax’s Ricardo Icaza for the inside scoop on the Caneleros. I was sure that the two U.S. goals that spawned disappointment and despair for a footballing nation on the rise would be front of mind. I’d figured the U.S. knocking Panama out of 2014 World Cup qualification in a match that was next to meaningless for the Americans would be dominating headlines these days.
“What have the big themes been in the build up?” I asked Icaza. “Revenge?”
“Nah,” Icaza replied. “Getting ready for the Gold Cup and getting the younger players involved.”
It seems that Panama has moved on from the United States knocking it out of World Cup qualification with two late goals and is approaching Sunday’s friendly (4pm ET; ESPN, UniMas, UDN) with many of the same objectives as the United States. The difference might be that Panama’s youngest players are still around and could even be better than the Americans.
One member of Panama’s U-20 side—which defeated Tab Ramos’ team at the CONCACAF Championships in January—will start: 20-year-old center back Fidel Escobar. He’ll be partnered by another young player, 22-year-old Harold Cummings, who plays in the Colombian top flight with Santa Fe.
But Panama manager Hernan Gomez called his Starting XI “a mix,” with veterans like Jaime Penedo—set to win his 100th cap when he takes the StubHub Center field—and Blas Perez also in the starting lineup.
The team will also feature two converted midfielders. Sporting San Miguelito left back Erick Davis is set to play on the left side of midfield where Gomez said he hopes he will utilize his speed and crossing ability to trouble the U.S. defense. Alfredo Stephens, typically a forward, will be playing a more withdrawn role.
Gomez said he’d set up the friendly schedule to make sure Panama isn’t the favorite in any matches until reaching the Gold Cup, with some reporters impressed and a bit concerned with Panama starting the year with an away match against a regional power.
Panama is 0-0-4 against the United States in the Jurgen Klinsmann era, but all four contests gave the Americans trouble. So an upset threat from Central America is something that the U.S. is looking out for—especially with some unknown quantities in the starting lineup.
“Panama, we’ve had some good battles over the last two or three years. It seems like we always face them somehow, Gold Cup, big World Cup qualifying games,” U.S. defender Matt Besler said before training Saturday. “I feel like they’re a group that’s been together for a long, long time.
“I’ve seen their roster, and it seems like there’s some different guys now, so to be honest with you there’s going to be a few question marks out there. Other than, four or five of the veteran guys, there’s going to be some new faces. I guess it’s exciting from that aspect.”
Klinsmann too is wary of the threat and knows he must have his team ready with the team in the midst of a rough run of results.
“Over the last six, seven, eight years, you could see Panama kind of getting stronger and stronger in our region, and they confirmed that in the last World Cup qualifying cycle,” he said at Saturday’s news conference. “If it wasn’t for us, you know, they would’ve gone to Brazil. Unfortunately in the last two minutes, for them, things ended up the wrong way. But you can see that they are very hungry, that they are eager to make a breakthrough.
“They have a very, very good pool of young players coming though – they just confirmed that in under-20 World Cup qualifying there, they did very well. So there’s a lot of respect from our end there.”
Icaza wanted the inside scoop on the Americans as well, though I wasn’t able to give him Sunday’s starting lineup or even share what formation the U.S. will line up in.
Gomez said that whether the United States goes three at the back or shifts into four, Panama will still try to produce the same results, demanding his players focus on fulfilling their own roles and playing good soccer.
That’s what the Panamanian press will be hoping to see, with discussion already centering around which young players can solidify roster spots for the Gold Cup or in the fall’s World Cup qualifiers. (Gomez noted that he’s unlikely to use a player in a World Cup qualifier if he hasn’t already tested him out in winter and spring friendlies.)
For this match, at least, the Panamanian media coverage isn’t so different from the American. Which young guys will replace aging stars? How will the team prepare for the big tournaments? The U.S. and Panama hope to answer the same questions Sunday.
What are your predictions for the match? What do you want to see? What do you expect to see? Tell us in the Comments below.
Jon Arnold hosts the ASN Podcast in 10 or 15 Minutes and is a frequent contributor. Follow him on Twitter.
