MIAMI, Florida – The stakes will be very high for both Canada and Panama when they meet in the semifinals of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals on Thursday evening at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A victory for either side would result in a long-awaited return to a Concacaf Final. Panama reached the Final of both the 2005 and 2013 Concacaf Gold Cup, but fell just short in winning the crown. A win against the Canadians would mean a third shot a first ever Concacaf trophy.
Meanwhile, Canada are seeking a return to a first Concacaf Final since the 2000 Gold Cup when they defeated Colombia to lift the trophy.
Needless to say, the opportunity to claim some long-coveted hardware is at the fingertips of both sides.
Panama arrive into Thursday’s encounter after capturing the top spot in Group B of League A of the 2022-23 CNL, which included a dramatic 1-0 final matchday win at Costa Rica.
The Canaleros were excellent defensively in the group and were the only team across League A, League B and League C to not concede a goal.
Meanwhile, going forward, some of the heroes were Edgar Barcenas, Alberto Quintero, Ismael Diaz and Anibal Godoy. Barcenas had two goals, while Quintero contributed two assists.
Diaz led the team in shots with six and Godoy was as accurate as they come in midfield, completing 177 passes.
Panama face a Canada team that leads the all-time series with a 4W-6D-2L mark, outscoring the Central Americans 12-8.
Canada topped Group C over Honduras and Curacao to punch their first ever CNLF ticket and will be in Las Vegas with some of the most dangerous players in the region.
Look no further than Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who is considered one of the best left backs in the world, while the dynamic striker duo of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin are each coming off of prolific seasons in Europe.
David had 24 goals in 37 games this season with French Ligue 1 side Lille, while Larin delivered eight goals in 19 games in Spain’s La Liga playing on loan at Valladolid from Belgium’s Club Brugge.
A compelling match-up between a stiff Panamanian defense and a goal-happy Canadian attack should make for a great spectacle in the desert.
Match Officials: Panama vs. Canada
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderon (CRC)
AR1: Juan Carlos Mora (CRC)
AR2: Henry Pupiro (NCA)
4th Official: Mario Escobar (GUA)
VAR: Benjamin Pineda (CRC)
AVAR: Selvin Brown (HON)
History, Statistics Panama vs Canada:
