USMNT vs Panama 1-2: Copa America group stage — Stats, highlights, analysis, goals

Who outside of the biggest Panama supporters saw this coming?

Whether or not the United States men’s national team’s home Copa America would be viewed as a success was supposed to come down to two huge matches: the group stage finale against Uruguay and the whatever came in the quarterfinal round.

Instead, the Yanks may not reach the knockout rounds at all. And it’s happened in a manner that could make it difficult to assess Gregg Berhalter’s second coming as USMNT coach.

Timothy Weah’s ridiculous red card early in a 2-1 loss to Panama, who would also go down to 10 men very late in the game, means the Yanks get a likely elimination game in the group stage.

Oh, and Uruguay is pretty darn good.

It doesn’t matter than the Yanks fought hard after the red card — This is Copa America and fighting is a minimum standard. This is a golden generation, and if the Yanks don’t turn in a strong performance against Uruguay, there will be a reckoning.

Here are our player ratings from the 2-1 loss.

One positive sample is Folarin Balogun (Off 72'): 8 — The goal was great and he nearly had a second. This was one of the Monaco man’s best games in a USMNT shirt. Just 17 touches but stuck into nine duels, winning four. The goal, it’s worth mentioning again, was terrific.

One negative? Timothy Weah (Red card 18'): 0 — He had one touch on the ball and one touch on a Panama player, and that was a strike to the head that was a straight-forward red card in the VAR world. Lovely player but absolute nonsense and that’s probably his Copa America. Shades of the Sergino Dest sending off versus Trinidad and Tobago. Another one of these and it becomes a trend not a coincidence.

Here’s Tyler Adams, from FOX.

“Emotional rollercoaster but that’s soccer at the end of the day. We know what we signed up for at Copa America. We knew it was going to be a fight. Credit to Panama they did their job and got a result. Moving forward we need to control our emotions. The team fought for everything after the red card.

"[Tim Weah] is not that type of person. He apologized to the team. Respect to the rest of the team. We fought for every ball and still created chances after going down to 10 men.”

Here’s goalscorer Balogun on FOX after the game.

“Towards the end it got a bit silly. It’s the referee’s job to manage the match but I didn’t think the game was finished in a professional manner.”

“We knew it was going to be an important game. We have to prepare and make sure we get the result.”

The Yanks are on the brink, and will likely need to defeat Uruguay to reach the group stage.

Possession: Panama 74%

Shot attempts: Panama 13-6

Completed passes: Panama 467-116.

Panama is caught offguard by a quick USMNT restart and Adalberto Carrasquilla takes Pulisic out at the legs with an easy red card tackle.

Pulisic and Richards see yellows in response, but the Yanks will have some time 10v10.

It’s the 89th minute.

Oof.

Several slow reactions lead to a Panama goal.

Ricardo Pepi knocks down a long ball into space and Weston McKennie bulls his way around a defender to stand up a pass to the back post.

It takes some time to get there and Mosquera regroups as Pepi’s header has no juice and is caught by the Panama keeper.

That would’ve been something. Still 1-1, 81'

Carter-Vickers hits Antonee Robinson, who gets it to Christian Pulisic.

The AC Milan man dazzles with a dribble down the left flank, and releases Balogun with a clever pass while all eyes saw a switch off fields coming from Pulisic.

Balogun curls a ball wide of goal. Great work from the USMNT.

Now Balogun exits for Ricardo Pepi. A great chance for Pepi, who was all around the action in the second half versus Bolivia but was poor with his finish.

A penalty was awarded to Panama for Jose Fajardo’s fall in the box.

The review sees Fajardo put his feet together and leap at the feet of a lunging Cameron Carter-Vickers after firing a ball wide of the goal.

VAR was always going to ask him to come to the screen, and there was little question he’d overturn his original call.

Clever dive, and why we have VAR.

Well, we predicted one of the changes.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is on, as is Johnny Cardoso with Giovanni Reyna and Tyler Adams leaving the game for the 10-man USMNT.

Ethan Horvath takes the place of Turner, who exits with injury.

It’s even, that’s good, but the 10-man problem looms over the break.

Panama has held 73% of the ball and has seven of the game’s 11 shot attempts. The USMNT completed well under 100 passes in the first half, while Los Canaleros are over 200.

A change in the midfield seems necessary, and the game may be crying out for Yunus Musah. Adding a center back like Cameron Carter-Vickers for left back Antonee Robinson, who is on a yellow, also is an idea.

There was finally a yellow for Panama, as Eduardo Guerrero goes out of his way to charge into Joe Scally’s back.

Another Panama foul leads to a USMNT free kick but the Yanks can’t make much of it.

Two minutes into five minutes’ stoppage.

Folarin Balogun is mauled driving a counter attack, with no card shown as Panama is getting a lot of patience from the referees.

It leads to a huge cross to Pulisic who is dropped in the box and wants a penalty no call.

The American lead turns out to be short-lived.

Cesar Blackmon beats Tim Ream to a loose ball and his desperation shot turns out to be perfectly-placed, as Turner cannot reach it.

1-1.

Who needs 11 men?

Antonee Robinson drives toward the Panama box and works with Folarin Balogun.

The Fulham man cues up the ex-Arsenal striker for a rocket left-footer.

1-0!

Awful judgment by Timothy Weah.

The Juventus man is initially shown a yellow card for hitting Roderick Miller, but the video doesn’t lie.

Weah swings at Miller and makes contact with the Panama player’s head. There’s no question it’s a red card offense.

The U.S. face 72 minutes down a man.

A long ball toward Matt Turner is easily collected by the USMNT keeper.

Well, easily is some word as he’s soon clattered into by Christian Martinez and dropped to the turf.

Wildly, even for CONCACAF, it is just a foul and not a card offense for Martinez.

Joe Scally wins a free kick from the right and it’s on!

A terrific sweeping cross from Pulisic is headed by Chris Richards and saved by Mosquera.

Tim Ream fights to win back the ball and pushes it back toward Weston McKennie, who belts it inside the goal.

There’s a VAR review as Ream was potentially offside depending on whether Richards’ header off the arm of a defender is viewed as part of the play.

And Ream has been deemed offside. It stays 0-0 in the fifth minute.

Most expect the USMNT to pick up a win today and seal a spot in the knockout rounds.

Panama has the benefit of familiarity with the USMNT but expectations are high for a comfortable win as the Yanks kickoff and send the ball into Los Canaleros’ final third.

An early cross is caught by Panama keeper Mosquera.

Now Panama go the other way and barely miss with an overhead kick attempt.

Panama beat a second-choice USMNT in penalties to win a 2023 Gold Cup semifinal, while other recent matches include a 5-1 USMNT home win in 2022 World Cup qualifying and a 1-0 away loss in the same competition.

The Yanks also clobbered Panama 6-2 in a 2020 friendly. Los Canaleros have won two and lost four since the calendar hit 2024, defeating Montserrat and Guyana while losing to Mexico, Jamaica, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Goal scorer Michael Murillo is back in the fold, while Eric Davis captains the side.

Here’s the XI for Los Canaleros:

Orlando Mosquera
Cesar Blackman
Jose Cordoba
Cristian Martinez
Adalberto Carrasquilla
Eduardo Guerrero
Edgar Barcenas
Eric Davis
Michael Murillo
Edgardo Farina
Roderick Miller

Gregg Berhalter doesn’t have a lot to change from the opening win over Bolivia. In fact he’s not changng anything.

Matt Turner’s back in goal while the back four of Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Joe Scally remains in tact.

Midfielders Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Giovanni Reyna are behind the attacking three of Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, and Timothy Weah,