Ronaldo Cordoba (pictured) celebrates after scoring in Panama's CONCACAF Under-17 Championship win over St. Lucia on March 6, 2015, in San Pedro Sula. (Photo: Mexsport)

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Panama (2-0-1, 6 points) exploded for five first-half goals, including three from Ronaldo Cordoba, to defeat St. Lucia 6-2 in the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship on Friday at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.

The win was Panama’s second straight in the competition, enabling it to join Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico -- on six points each -- in a four-way tie for first place in Group B.  That impasse will be broken later in the evening when Canada and Mexico square off. 

St. Lucia (0-0-3, 0 points) jumped out to a brief 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.  Albertini Philip swept in a loose ball from close range after Jhadel Prospere’s effort off a Noah Nicholas free kick forced goalkeeper Javier Cruz into a right-handed save.

Four minutes later, the sides were on equal terms as Cordoba struck for his first.  Stationed on the right, Jose Luis Rodriguez delivered a diagonal cross deep into the box that teammate Leandro Avila headed into the middle.  A St. Lucian defender, however, touched the ball directly to Cordoba, who went straight to goal and slotted into the left side. 

Oliver Beckles set-up Cordoba’s second in the 18th minute, rolling a cross in front of the net from the right.  The powerfully built forward would not be denied as he slid at the ball, which hit off goalkeeper Andre Gustave before barely crossing the line.

In the 33rd minute, Panama went ahead 3-1 and it was Cordoba making the difference once again.  Right-back John Del Busto lofted a long pass into middle for the Chepo FC youth standout, who outraced and outmuscled Bradley Cyril into the left side of the box.  In coordinated motion, he left-footed a shot inside the far post.

With Cordoba’s hat-trick objective accomplished, it was Beckles’ turn to get in on the action.  His 36th minute header from nine-yards out off a precise Jorge Gutierrez cross from the left made it 4-1.

Then, five minutes before the break, Beckles slammed home the rebound of an Avila attempt that crashed off the frame. 

The second half proved to be not nearly as active, but it produce two goals.

The Panamanians closed their goal account in the 73rd minute as the outstanding Beckles sacrificed a bid for his own hat-trick, instead preferring to complete a delicate pass in the box for George Picart to finish into a wide open net.

Nicholas gave St. Lucia something to smile about with eight minutes left in normal time, firing a right-footed rocket over Cruz into the upper netting from four-yards out to complete the scoreline.

Panama returns to action on Monday in an all-Central American duel against Costa Rica, while will meet Canada.