MIAMI.- A spot in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals is on the line when Panama and Qatar meet in a quarterfinal match on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Both teams have been to the semifinals before, with Qatar landing in the final four in the 2021 tournament when it was a guest team and Panama boasting four semifinal appearances, though the last came in 2015.
The AFC guest team met Panama during its 2021 run, in a group stage contest in Houston that saw the teams earn a point after a thrilling 3-3 draw during which Panama equalized three times, all in the second half.
This time around, Panama went through the group stage undefeated and moved into the knockout round as the top team in Group C.
FW Jose Fajardo scored twice, both from headers, to lead the team in scoring during the group phase while MF Edgar Yoel Bárcenas scored one goal from nine shots, more attempts than any Panama player.
Qatar wasn’t able to win either of its first two group matches, but secured a place in the knockout stage with a 1-0 win over Mexico on the final day thanks to a goal from Hazem Shehata in the 27th minute and a great showing from GK Meshaal Bersham, a veteran of eight Gold Cup matches and who has made 10 saves so far in this Gold Cup.
The winner of Saturday’s game will move on to a semifinal in San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium against the winner of the United States and Canada’s quarterfinal.
Match Officials Panama vs Qatar
7:00 PM EDT Saturday July 8 2023, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Referee: CESAR RAMOS (Mexico)
1st Assistant Referee: ALBERTO MORIN (Mexico)
2nd Assistant Referee: MARCO BISGUERRA (Mexico)
4th Official: FERNANDO GUERRERO (Mexico)
VAR: ERICK MIRANDA (Mexico)
AVAR1: GUILLERMO PACHECO (Mexico)
HEAD-TO-HEAD IN GOLD CUP
Qatar 3-3 Panama (Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Hassan Al Haydos; Rolando Blackburn x2, Éric Davis), Group D, Gold Cup 2021, BBVA Stadium, Houston (13-JUL).
