Panama preview and roster

Panama qualified for the final four with a quarter final win over arch rivals Costa Rica, beating them 1-0 away from home and drawing 2-2 in Panama. This is their third appearance at the Nations League finals.

In 2023 Panama lost to Canada in the Nations League semi-finals and then to Mexico in the third-placed play-off. In 2024 in Dallas they were well beaten by Mexico 3-0, before losing to Jamaica 1-0 in third placed play-off.

Panama open against the USA on Thursday which will be the 29^th all-time meeting between the two countries, and incredibly the 28^th since 2004. The US holds a dominating advantage W18, D7 & L3.

What to expect

Panama have made a steady progression over the past four years under Thomas Christiansen to establish themselves as the fourth best team in Concacaf. To do so they have overcome an ageing Costa Rica who did not give up their status in the elite without a fight.

Christiansen has a squad in which every player is plying his trade in a foreign league.

The question for Panama is whether they have enough to take the next step towards a major breakthrough and win a major final. In 2023 at the Gold Cup they beat the USA on penalties in San Diego before moving up the California coast to Los Angeles and the SoFi Stadium where they were beaten 1-0 by Mexico. Close but not close enough.

At the Copa America 2024, hosted in the USA, Panama opened with losses to Paraguay and Uruguay before playing superbly to beat the USA, 2-1. A result that cost, the previous head coach, Greg Berhalter his job. Panama then went on to beat Bolivia but lose to a rampant Colombia 5-0 in the quarter final.

Since then their form, despite overcoming Costa Rica to qualify for the final four, has dipped.

Last October they lost to the USA 2-0 and 2-1 to Canada.

So far this year they have lost both friendlies they have played. The last being a 6-1 thumping away to Chile.

Players to watch

The former MLS pair of Houston Dynamo’s Adalberto Carrasquilla (now at Pumas UNAM in Mexico) and Nashville’s Anibal Godoy (now at San Diego FC) have been the heartbeat of Panama’s midfield under Christiansen.

However Godoy, now 35, may be starting to run out of legs and will likely be used from the bench.

Ismael Diaz, who plays his club football in Ecuador alongside has the ability to unlock defences but needs to find the back of the net more often. He will likely lead the line with Tomas Rodriguez who plays his club football with Monagas in Venezuela.

Diaz’s club teammate Jose Fajardo’s goals have become increasingly important and more regular, but he isn’t getting any younger, while there is further back-up from the old war horse Cecilio Waterman. Alberto Quintero, so long Panama’s talisman, has been stood down.

In a team notable for its older age profile, Christiansen has brought in defensive youth in Norwich City’s Jose Cordoba and Edgardo Farina who plays for Russian club FC Klimki.

The youngest player in the squad is 20-year-old striker Gustavo Herrera who plays for Puebla in Mexico. Now might be his time to breakthrough internationally.

The Manager

Thomas Christiansen has been in the job for over four years now compiling a record that reads, P71, W34, D14, & L23. He has overseen the steady progression of Panama back into the elite of Concacaf football.

As a player he was a striker frequently finding the  back of the net for Oviedo and Villarreal in Spain, before moving to VfL Bochum where he became the top scorer in the Bundesliga during the 2002 season.

Christiansen, born in Denmark, represented Spain internationally, but went into international team management without a long record in the club game, Leeds United being his most prominent role.

“We are here to work and get results and what we all want is for Panama to qualify for all competitions, do a good job and above all, get back to pleasing the fans. That is the objective, but to do that you have to work very well and hard,” he said.

Thursday will be the 29^th all-time meeting between the two countries, and incredibly the 28^th since 2004. The US holds a dominating advantage W18, D7 & L3.