Panama takes the meeting with Martinique “very seriously”.

The National team of Panama he hopes to come out of the home game with Martinique on the first date Concacaf Nations League 2023-2024 and, to avoid surprises, coach Thomas Christiansen He asked his players to take this commitment “very seriously”.

The panama red they already beat Martinique 2-1 in a complex and hard-fought match played during the group stage of the last edition of the Gold Cup in the United States.

Team Les Martiniowhich directs French coach Marc Collatwill host Christiansen’s team on September 7 at the Universidad Latina stadium in Penonomé, Coclé province.

“It is important to always take every game very seriously, with great professionalism, always respecting all opponents. We saw Martinique at the Gold Cup, it was very difficult for us at the beginning of the game,” said Aníbal Godoy, captain of Panama.

For him Nashville midfielder OUR What is actually at stake is a place in the Copa América and the semi-finals of the Concacaf League of Nations.

The Panamanian team finished in fourth place for the first time in the last edition of the League of Nations.

“I think we have to prepare well and try to be mentally very focused on what we want to be able to get three very important points for us at this start,” Godoy said.

Christiansen insisted that his students will not belittle their opponents, because they know that none of them are easy.

“We go to Penonomé to meet Martinique and play away against Guatemala, who were a pleasant surprise at the last Gold Cup”he confirmed after ruling out excess confidence in the team.

List of invitees by Christiansen for Panama’s Concacaf Nations League games against Martinique on Thursday and Guatemala on September 10, it includes 21 players who play for foreign clubs and three from the domestic league.

Ángel Orelien, Khaiser Lenis, Ricardo Phillis and attacking veteran Rolando Blackburn stand out among the novelties of the invitation. The first three made up the under-23 team that won the Maurice Revello tournament held last July in France.

Orlando Mosquera, Panama’s starting goalkeeper and who previously played for Venezuelan Monagas, was unable to make it to the Martinique match as he was busy in Israel signing a contract for his new club Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In this Concacaf League Nations 2023-2024 Panama participated in group A of the tournament with national teams Guatemala, El Salvador, Martinique, Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago.

After this case, the first and second teams from groups A and B will advance to the quarterfinals, where four national teams from League A await them: Canada, Costa Rica, USA and Mexico.

This edition League of Nations will define the six Concacaf teams that will play in the 2024 Copa América.

Probable lineups:

Panama: Jose Guerra; Eduardo Anderson, Fidel Escobar, Eric Davis, Iván Anderson, César Yanis, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Anibal Godoy, Ricardo Phillips, Ismael Díaz, Khaiser Lenis.

Coach: Thomas Christiansen.

Martinique: Yannis Clementia; Florian Lapis, Jonathan Rivierez, Florent Poulolo, Ronny Labonne, Daniel Hérelle, Cyril Mandouki, Patrick Burner, Kévin Fortuné, Karl Fabien, Brighton Labeau.

Coach: Marc Collat.

Time: 19.00 local (00.00 GMT on Friday)

Stadium: Universidad Latina, located in Penonomé, Coclé province, about 150 kilometers west of Panama City.