Action from the CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA (white jersey) and Panama on July 25, 2015, in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. (Photo: Mexsport)
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP
CONCACAF Qualifying -- Final Round, Matchday 4
Date: March 28, 2017
Match: Panama v USA
Venue: Estadio Rommel Fernandez – Panama City, Panama
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
MATCH OFFICIALS
R: Cesar Ramos (Mexico)
AR1: Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)
AR2: Miguel Angel Hernandez (Mexico)
4th: Erick Miranda (Mexico)
SUSPENSIONS
Panama: none
USA: none
ALL-TIME WCQ SERIES
USA leads: 5W-1D-0L (17GF, 3GA)
LAST WCQ MEETNG
October 15, 2013: Panama 2, USA 3
Gabriel Torres 18'; Luis Tejada 83' / Michael Orozco 64'; Graham Zusi 90'+1; Aron Johannsson 90'+2
FIVE MATCH WCQ FORM
Panama: LDWLW
USA: WLLWW
CONCACAF QUALIFYING RESULTS
Panama (Overall record: 4W-2D-3L … 8GF, 6GA)
13.11.15 Jamaica v Panama 0-2
17.11.15 Panama v Costa Rica 1-2
25.03.16 Haiti v Panama 0-0
29.03.16 Panama v Haiti 1-0
02.09.16 Panama v Jamaica 2-0
06.09.16 Costa Rica v Panama 3-1
11.11.16 Honduras v Panama 0-1
15.11.16 Panama v Mexico 0-0
24.03.17 Trinidad & Tobago v Panama 1-0
USA (Overall record: 5W-1D-3L … 27GF, 9GA)
13.11.15 USA v St. Vincent & the Grenadines 6-1
17.11.15 Trinidad & Tobago v USA 0-0
25.03.16 Guatemala v USA 2-0
29.03.16 USA v Guatemala 4-0
02.09.16 St. Vincent & the Grenadines v USA 0-6
06.09.16 USA v Trinidad & Tobago 4-0
11.11.16 USA v Mexico 1-2
15.11.16 Costa Rica v USA 4-0
24.03.17 USA v Honduras 6-0
CONCACAF QUALIFYING SCORERS
Panama: Luis Tejada (2); Abdiel Arroyo, Felipe Baloy, Armando Cooper, Fidel Escobar, Gabriel Torres, own-goal in favor of (1)
USA: Jozy Altidore (6); Clint Dempsey (4); Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood (3); Geoff Cameron, Sacha Kljestan (2); Paul Arriola, Matt Besler, Michael Bradley, Fabian Johnson, Sebastian Lletget, Gyasi Zardes, Graham Zusi (1)
FINAL ROUND SUMMARY
Panama: Following Friday’s 1-0 loss to host Trinidad & Tobago, Panama dropped to 1W-1D-1L in the Hexagonal, but maintained its spot in third place. The setback was the Panamanians’ fifth in as many all-time WCQ matches against T&T. While Hernan Dario Gomez’s offense has not scored in its last 248 minutes of WCQ play, it has allowed only one goal in its last three outings. Depending on Tuesday’s results, Panama can end the evening as high as first place and as a low as last.
USA: In Bruce Arena’s first competitive match since returning as head coach after replacing Jurgen Klinsmann late last year, the U.S. earned a sparkling 6-0 win over visiting Honduras on Friday. The game also marked the reemergence of forward Clint Dempsey, who scored three goals following a long layoff for an irregular heartbeat. Opening with two straight losses gave the Americans little room for error, but they responded wonderfully as 18-year-old midfield sensation Christian Pulisic conducted the offense with spectacular precision, scoring one goal and assisting on two others.
FAST FACTS
Panama
- Never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.
- Scored one goal or fewer in seven of nine WCQs.
- Posted shutouts in six of nine 2018 WCQ matches.
- 2W-1D-1L in 2018 WCQ home games.
USA
- Played in every World Cup from Italy 1990 through Brazil 2014 … longest active streak by any CONCACAF side.
- Holds record for most Hexagonal wins (30) and most first-place finishes (3).
- Scored most goals in fourth-round WCQ play (20 … Guatemala #2 with 18).
- Clint Dempsey is the USA’s all-time leading scorer in World Cup Qualifying with 17.
A FEW MORE THINGS
- Panama and the U.S. will meet in this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup on July 7, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee.
- The U.S. has twice prevailed over Panama in the Gold Cup final (2005: 0-0, 3:1 pens; 2013: 1-0 on goal by Brek Shea.
- Panama’s only win against the U.S. came on June 11, 2011, in the Gold Cup’s group stage, 2-1.
- The U.S. also won in its last visit to Panama on October 15, 2013. Behind 2-1 with eight minutes remaining in normal time, Graham Zusi (90'+1) and Aron Johannsson (90'+2) netted the game-winner in a stunning rally that eliminated Panama from a place in an Intercontinental Playoff against New Zealand for a berth in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
