March 21, (THEWILL) – Panama booked their place in the CONCACAF Nations League final with a 1-0 victory over defending champions United States on Thursday.
Cecilio Waterman scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time at SoFi Stadium, delivering a significant blow to Mauricio Pochettino in his first competitive match managing the American side.
The United States dominated possession throughout the contest but struggled to convert opportunities against a determined Panama defence.
Josh Sargent had an early chance deflected in the 19th minute, while Weston McKennie saw his header saved by Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.
The Americans thought they had taken the lead when Sargent found the net in the 25th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Pochettino introduced Patrick Agyemang and Jack McGlynn in the 67th minute in an attempt to break the deadlock.
Agyemang nearly made the difference with two late opportunities, first seeing his shot saved by Mosquera in the 82nd minute before missing the target from Christian Pulisic’s cross with just two minutes remaining.
The decisive moment came when the United States conceded possession in midfield during stoppage time.
Panama midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla found Waterman unmarked on the edge of the area, who finished clinically into the bottom corner.
The victory continues Panama’s recent strong record against the United States, having gone unbeaten in their last three competitive meetings.
Panama will face either Mexico or Canada in Sunday’s final, with those teams contesting the other semifinal on Thursday.
For the United States, this result represents a difficult start to the Pochettino era, particularly given the sparse attendance at the Los Angeles venue.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
