- Panama knocked USA out of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup on penalties
- USA have won only two of their last seven matches inside 90 minutes
- Recommended bet: Panama +1 on Asian Handicap

USA will have been relieved to get their Copa America campaign off to a winning start on home soil but Gregg Berhalter’s men will know the hard work starts now.

A 2-0 defeat of Bolivia was the minimum expected of the competition hosts and wasteful finishing in that match could yet come back to bite USA given that both of their remaining Group C opponents, Panama and Uruguay, will expect to see off the sectional minnows with ease.

Next up is a Panama side that lost their opener against Uruguay but will see this as their defining match — beat USA as they did on penalties in last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup and they will have an excellent chance of reaching the last eight. 

Team news

USA have reported no fresh injuries but striker Josh Sargent missed both warm-up matches in June and did not feature against Bolivia so may be a doubt.

Key defender Sergino Dest did not make USA’s Copa America squad after suffering an ACL injury in March but otherwise they are at full strength.

Panama captain Anibal Godoy had to drop out of the squad after the midfielder sustained a thigh injury in the final warm-up match.

The stats

While USA have a historically strong record against Panama, the Canal Men have avoided defeat in six of the last 11 meetings, winning two of the last three since 2021.

Panama reached the final of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup after beating Costa Rica and Martinique as well as drawing against El Salvador in the group stage before seeing off Qatar 4-0 and knocking USA out on penalties in the semi-final. They lost to an 88th-minute goal against Mexico in the final.

USA warmed up for the Copa with mixed results, beating Mexico 2-0 and Jamaica 3-1 (after extra-time) in the Concacaf Nations League in March before losing 5-1 to Colombia in a June friendly but holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw five days later.

Prediction

USA have the stronger team on paper, with most of the first team playing in the Premier League, Serie A or Ligue 1, while none of the Panama squad are regular starters in any of the world’s top leagues.

However, USA have been hugely inconsistent over the last 12 months. There have been impressive performances, including back-to-back 6-0 victories in the Concacaf Gold Cup group stage, as well as a 4-0 thumping of Ghana and 1-1 draw against Brazil in friendlies. But there have also been poor displays in getting thrashed 5-1 by Colombia earlier this month, an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in the Concacaf Nations League and last summer’s Gold Cup exit to Panama.

Panama outperformed expectations in reaching the 2023 Gold Cup final and were fortunate to do so, but there have been signs that they are a genuine danger to the USA.

Twice scoring three goals in back-to-back Nations League defeats of Costa Rica in November highlights their improved goal threat and while they are not on a level to unsettle matchday one opponents Uruguay, they may just make life difficult for USA.

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