USA and Panama were studied in the duel corresponding to the second date of Group C of the Copa America 2024until a play broke the game: Timothy Weah was sent off in the 17th minute in Atlanta.
The Juventus attacker, starter in Gregg Berhalter’s team, he lost his head and hit Roderick Miller without a ballone of the Panamanian defenders, trying to get him off while his teammates dominated the ball in their own field.
Initially, Salvadoran referee Iván Barton cautioned him, after his assistants warned him, since he had his back to the play, but after the VAR called, he changed his decision: It took just one check and four seconds to change the yellow for the red. Weah, aware of his mistake, left alone, without protest.
At first, the United States, which had scored offside in the first minutes, did not blame the blow. In fact, at 22′, Folarin Balogun He scored a true wonder goal with a great shot from the edge of the area after a one-two with Antonee Robinson, converting for the second consecutive match.
Thomas Christiansen’s team took control of the ball, taking advantage of their numerical superiority, and equalised in the 26th minute through Cesar Blackman, with a good shot that was deflected on the way.
Panama continued to haunt the goal defended by Matt Turner, although without result in the rest of the first half, which saw the unusual and foolish expulsion of Weah, the son of the legendary George, the only African to win the Ballon d’Or (1995) and former president of Liberia.
In the first round, the United States beat Bolivia 2-0, while Panama lost 1-3 to Uruguay. The Celeste and the Verde will clash today at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Weah’s ouster in numbers
The former PSG, Celtic and Lille player’s red card was the second-fastest for a U.S. player in the past 40 years (Jimmy Conrad in the 17th minute in a friendly against Honduras in 2010), but the quickest in a competitive match in that period.
Additionally, the 24-year-old forward, who played 35 games for Juventus this season, was the second USMNT player against Panama since 1988 (Geoff Cameron in 2012). And the Americans do not have a good record: they have not won a game in which they were one less since 2008, against Guatemala, when Steve Cherundolo left the field at 60′ (they were 0-0 and finished 1-0 due to the goal by Carlos Bocanegra).
