It is not how you start matches but how you finish them that counts. This is a statement that every football player from the time that they first lace up their boots is told by their coaches and by their parents. Although it is a very simple statement, it can be very difficult to follow. Despite not having the flashy names or the pedigree of the United States, the Panama U-20 side fought for 90 minutes to gain the advantage. A late goal by Carlos Small made all of that work worth it as Panama were able to shock the USA 1-0 at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
After surrendering a late goal in their match against Guatemala, the United States looked like a team wanting to wipe the slate clean. In just the 4th minute of the match, US midfielder Schellas Hyndman hit a corner that found center-back Matt Miazga in the Panama box. Miazga, who plays for New York Red Bulls, would put his head on the ball and hit a shot on target. However, Panama goalkeeper Jaime de Gracia would easily make the save.
Hyndman would once again find Miazga on a corner kick in the 8th minute. After de Gracia bobbled the ball while trying to make a save, Miazga would once again head the ball in the direction of the Panama goal. His shot though would go wide. After doing very poorly on set pieces in their match against Guatemala, the United States had several opportunities in this match thanks to the addition of Hyndman in the lineup.
Panama would also have their own opportunities early on, using the counter-attack to try and catch the United States off-guard. Panamanian midfielders Kevin Galvan and Edson Sams would use their speed on the outside to force the USA to play catch-up throughout the first forty-five minutes. The two would combine to help set up fellow midfielder Luis Pereira’s shot in the 13th minute, an effort that would dip and hit the cross-bar.
Galvan would once again lead the counter-attack in the 15th minute, however U.S. defensive midfielder Kellyn Acosta would intercept his pass and end the threat.
The U.S. would have their best chance at goal in the first half when Acosta’s shot from beyond the eighteen yard box would force De Gracia to make the diving save. Although the U.S. would have more shots than Panama in the first-half, their attack was greatly limited due to the size and strength advantage that Panama possessed. Panama right-back Chin Hormechea halted the advances of US forward Lynden Gooch and stymied the US attack.
After weathering the storm, Galvan and the Panama attack would go back to work. In the 25th minute, Galvan’s pass to Sams on the outside would give him to put a shot on target. US goalkeeper Zack Steffen was forced to make the diving save to preserve the 0-0 score.
Galvan would set up forward Ismael Diaz at the top of the US penalty box in the 35th minute. His shot looked to be going into the back of the net but Steffen was able to make the kick save. Much like in the Guatemala match, Steffen helped bail out his US teammates by making spectacular saves and controlling the tempo of the match.
Play picked up in the second half with both sides looking to gain the advantage in Group A. In the 61st minute Hyndman’s pass into Gooch looked promising but the Sunderland attacker had his shot blocked by the Panamanian defense.
The two would reconnect again in the 64th minute when Hyndman would find Gooch in the box.with only de Gracia to beat. However, Gooch would opt for the backheel pass as opposed to the shot which would be cleared away once again by Panama.
Panama would breakthrough in the 78th minute when Samms chip pass would over the US defense would fund substitute forward Carlos Small. Small, who had darted around US defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, would hit his shot on the first touch and bury it past Steffen.
After Hyndman left the match in the 81st minute with an apparent injury, the United States were barely able to muster any threats on the Panama defense. Their lone chance came in the 84th minute when forward Bradford Jamieson IV would find space in front of the Panama goal. Rather than passing to the two open wingers on the outside, Jamieson opted for a weak shot that would go well wide of the net.
With the victory, Panama (2-0-0, 6 points) moves into first place in Group A. They will next play host Jamaica on Wednesday January 14th at 3pm EST.
For the United States (0-1-1, 1 point,) this is their first loss in the Group Stage of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship since they lost to Canada 3-2 in 2002. The loss drops them to fifth place in Group A. They will next play Aruba (0-0-2,0 points) on Wednesday at 5pm EST.
MATCH SUMMARY
USA- Zach Steffen, Shaquell Moore, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Matt Miazga, John Requejo, Kellyn Acosta, Junior Flores (Bradford Jamieson IV 51′,) Emerson Hyndman (Ben Spencer 81′,) Tommy Thompson (Amando Moreno 68′,) Lynden Gooch, and Paul Arriola.
Yellow Cards- Acosta (73′) and Gooch (82′)
Panama- Jaime De Gracia, Chin Hormechea, Kevin Galvin, Michael Bermudez, Francisco Narbon (Carlos Small 30′,) Fidel Mendieta, Julian Velarde, Luis Lewis, Ismael De Leon, Jhamal Thomas, and Edson Samms (Ervin Zorrilla 93′).
Goal- Small (78′)
Yellow Card- Galvan (58′)
