Gold Cup Final: Panama before history

Mexico and Panama will play this Sunday in Los Angeles (USA) in the final golden cupa tournament that the Canalero team, which will face the ‘troika’, the great dominator of the competition with eleven trophies in their showcases, has never been able to win.

He SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (USA), home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers and which hosted the 2022 Super Bowl, will be the scene of this final.

The last clash between Mexico and Panama took place last June in the match for third and fourth place in the 2023 Concacaf League of Nations, with the Mexican team winning 1-0.

Panama, before history
Panama returns to the finals after a decade away from the maximum game of the main selection tournament concacaf.

Against the Mexicans, rivals whom they defeated only twice in this tournament, they will have the opportunity to record the best game of the Panamanian team at the Gold Cup.

Those led Thomas Christiansen, Despite a solid tournament in which they only conceded 5 goals, they will face a Mexican team who will be playing in ‘their second home’, California, with friendly stands.

But same as Christiansen In every public appearance, his style is down-to-earth and humble, which makes the Panamanian team a more dangerous group because, without anyone expecting it, he will come out and show that he can knock down the Mexican “giant”.

The Panamanians come to this match after leaving the USA on the road, who took away their championship title in 2005 and 2013. When that thorn was removed, now it is the turn of the Mexicans.

Panama does not forget the controversial match from 2015, in which the Mexican team beat the Central Americans 1-2 in the semi-finals thanks to two penalties by Andrés Guardado.

Christiansen will have six players who played in the 2013 final in Chicago against the United States, essential experience when it comes to bracing nerves and explaining to the rest of his teammates what they will find in the stadium.

Six veterans did Alberto Quintero, Aníbal Godoy, Harold Cummings, Luis Mejía, Cecilio Waterman and Roderick Miller.

MEXICO SEEKS ITS TWELFTH TITLE

If they succeed on Sunday, Mexico will establish themselves as the Gold Cup’s top winners, with 12 titles, seven for the United States. For the three, it would be a blow to authority at one of the worst times in their history, after being eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar and with ups and downs in performance before this tournament.

Jaime Lozano, who arrived as a coach on the rise to replace Argentinian Diego Cocca, sacked due to poor results, will look to take care of the defense to, from there, punish his attack led by Henry Martín and Santiago Giménez.

Panama is a difficult opponent for the Mexicans, which is also clear to Lausanne, who insisted on respect for the Central Americans, who are coming very inspired.

However, Mexico also come into the Gold Cup final in high spirits after a 3-0 win against Jamaica in the semi-finals with goals from Henry Martín, Luis Chávez and Roberto Alvarado.

Probable lineups:

Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa; Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo; Carlos Rodríguez, Luis Romo, Luis Chávez; Henry Martin, Santiago Gimenez, Orbelin Pineda.

Coach: Jaime Lozano.

Panama: Orlando Mosquera, Fidel Escobar, Harold Cummings, Andrés Andrade, Eric Davis, Edgar Bárcenas; Adalberto Carrasquilla, Anibal Godoy, José Fajardo, Alberto Quintero; Ismael Diaz.

Coach: Thomas Christiansen.