The selection of Panama defeated this Thursday USA 2-1 in the America Cupa golden victory for their possible passage to the playoffs in a match in which they had to overcome the initial goal of the host of the tournament.
The first half started with a Spectacular Chilean by Edgar Yoel Bárcenas which narrowly went over the post. Notice from Panama, who needed to score points to stay alive.
But after that warning, what Panama got was a good scare: Weston McKennie scored a goal for the United States in a play with a stopped ball after a rejection inside the area.
After reviewing the play, the VAR, Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton the goal was disallowed for offside by Tim Ream, who had assisted McKennie.
Once again the protagonist was VAR in it minute 18when Barton expelled Tim Weah for an inexplicable reason assault on Roderick Miller. Weah punched Miller in the head without the ball being in play.
The United States reacted angrily to Weah’s ouster, and in the minute 22 Folarin Balogun He put the host ahead with a shot that went in after hitting Orlando Mosquera’s far post. The second on his account so far in the tournament.
It was a goal similar to that of Maximiliano Araújo, the first that Panama conceded in its debut against Uruguay.
Panama responded immediately. Cesar Blackman, who took the place of the injured José ‘Puma’ Rodríguez, tied from a tight shot to Matt Turner’s right post from outside the area.
Balogun’s goal had been a mirage. With 10, the US team became a sieve both in defense and in midfield, with plenty of space for Adalberto Carrasquilla to do damage.
Until the break, the feeling was of constant danger in the area defended by Turner, but the Panamanians were unable to take advantage of their superiority. First time in which he went through everything.
Panama gets a reward Gregg Berhalter changed system in the second half, from the initial 4-4-3 to 5-3-1 with the entry of defender Cameron Carter-Vickers with the aim of stopping the bleeding in the minutes before the break and perhaps already thinking about saving the tie.
It also replaced Turnerwhich in the first half he injured his knee after risking his physicality in a disputed ball with Blackman.
Panama was already dreaming of the second when the referee signaled andThe maximum penalty point for a challenge inside the area by Carter-Vickers on José Fajardo, who had entered at half-time.
But after consulting his initial decision again with the VAR screen, Barton backed down, considering that there had been no contact.
In the midst of Panama’s dominance without any clear chances, Ricardo Pepi missed one of the few opportunities the United States had, heading the ball weakly into Mosquera’s hands.
The end of the game was approaching when minute 83 The prize came for Panama, it was in a play started by Carrasquilla in which Fajardo put it in the back of the net assisted by the newly admitted Abdiel Ayarza.
The Panamanian joy was cut short shortly after, when Carrasquilla was sent off with a direct red card for an ugly tackle from behind on Christian Pulisic.
With 10 against 10, the five minutes of added time seemed eternal for Panama.
The defeat leaves the United States in a very complicated situation, as it will have to play for qualification for the qualifiers in the last match of the group stage, against Uruguay, while Panama will do so against Bolivia.
