The U.S. men’s national team’s trip to Panama for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier will carry some extra significance for both sides on top of the three points on offer. That’s because the match falls on the anniversary of the USMNT’s elimination from the 2018 FIFA World Cup and Panama’s first-ever World Cup qualification, which came as a direct result.
USA’s 2-1 loss in Trinidad on Oct. 10, 2017, coupled with Panama’s last-gasp home win over Costa Rica (an 88th-minute winner by Roman Torres), permanently marked the soccer history of both nations in the previous World Cup cycle. For that reason there should be a celebratory atmosphere at the sold-out Estadio Rommel Fernandez as Panama seeks its first-ever win against the USA in a World Cup qualifier.
The Americans, ranked No. 13 in the world, are 6-0-2 all time in qualifiers against No. 68-ranked Panama and they head to Panama City riding a stream of two convincing qualifying wins that have coincided with the emergence of 18-year-old striker Ricardo Pepi. He started both those matches — victories over Honduras (4-1) and Jamaica (2-0) — and Pepi had a hand in all six goals, scoring three of them. Pepi came off with 20 minutes left against Jamaica and is likely to get the start again in Panama as U.S. men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter rides the hot hand to first-place in the standings.
WATCH: Panama vs. USMNT on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Panama is coming off a 1-0 loss in El Salvador on Thursday in a match played in difficult weather and field conditions. It was only the Canaleros’ first loss in this qualifying cycle (1-1-2, 5 points), but it still remains in fourth place. The top three teams earn automatic berths and the fourth-place team advances to a World Cup playoff.
Sporting News will be watching the event live, providing scoring updates, commentary and match highlights as they're available.
USA vs. Panama score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Panama | — | — | — |
| USA | — | — | — |
Goals:
USA vs. Panama live updates, highlights from World Cup qualifier
Standings and results: Updated World Cup qualifying table
(All times Eastern)
4:31 p.m.: The USMNT takes an undefeated record into the Rommel Fernandez.
Panama-United States, 5 CT on Paramount+ & Universo (4 CT pregame on Paramount+).
— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) October 10, 2021
🇺🇸 #USMNT is unbeaten away vs Panam (3 wins, 2 draws), including 2 wins & 2 draws in World Cup qualifying.
4:23 p.m.: American Outlaws enjoying Panama:
I highly recommend traveling for #USMNT matches. #USAvPAN #WCQ pic.twitter.com/9Dm2OgSHkT
— George Washingdrum (@GWashingdrum) October 10, 2021
4:04 p.m.: Fans already making their way inside the stadium:
Fans beginning to trickle in to the Estadio Rommel Fernández. Still about two hours to kickoff. #usmnt pic.twitter.com/1IoyrxVn8e
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) October 10, 2021
How to watch Panama vs. USA
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 10
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- TV Channels: Universo
- Streaming: fuboTV, Paramount+
The USMNT’s fifth World Cup qualifier will be broadcast in Spanish on Universo, which also streams on fuboTV, which is available on a free 7-day trial.
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
The English-language broadcast will be carried by Paramount+.
USA vs. Panama lineups
The USMNT will be without Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson and Zack Steffen, who all headed straight to Columbus, Ohio in preparation for the third and final World Cup qualifier to be played in October on Wednesday against Costa Rica. McKennie will be resting a sore quad, while Robinson and Steffen will sit out the trip to Panama due to UK travel restrictions which require an extended quarantine for travel to that country.
DECOURCY: Pepi was the one dual national the USMNT had to have
Outside of the forced changes — George Bello and Kellyn Acosta are potentially leading candidates to replace Robinson and McKennie — there could be a handful of other players who are rested based on how Berhalter shuffled the lineup in September. De Andre Yedlin (right back), Sebastian Lletget (central midfield) and Cristian Roldan (central midfield) are players who are primed for the type of battle that will unfold in Panama.
USA projected starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): Matt Turner-GK — George Bello, Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, Sergino Dest — Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah — Matthew Hoppe, Ricardo Pepi, Brenden Aaronson
USA projected subs: Sean Johnson-GK, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin, Mark McKenzie, Chris Richards, Gianluca Busio, Luca de la Torre, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Lletget, Paul Arriola, Gyasi Zardes, Tim Weah
Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen made eight changes from the squad he used during the September qualifiers with the notable absences of regular September starters Andres Andrade (Arminia Bielefeld / Germany), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Houston Dynamo / USA) and familiar name Cecilio Waterman (Everton / Chile).
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As far as changes from the lineup that lost 1-0 on Thursday to El Salvador, Panamanian media indicate that wide midfielder Jose Luis Rodriguez and center mid Abdiel Ayarza are the most likely to be replaced.
Panama projected starting lineup (4-4-2, left to right): 1-Luis Mejia-GK — 15-Eric Davis, 3-Harold Cummings, 4-Fidel Escobar, 23-Michael Amir Murillo — Ismael Diaz, 20-Anibal Godoy, 11-Armando Cooper, 19-Alberto Quintero — 10-Edgar Barcenas, 14-Rolando Blackburn
Panama projected subs: 22-Orlando Mosquera-GK, 12-Jose Calderon-GK, 13-Jiovany Ramos, Jorge Gutierrez, 6-Oscar Linton, 2-Cesar Blackman, 5-Abdiel Ayarza, 8-Cristian Martinez, 21-Cesar Yanis, Eduardo Guerrero, 7-Jose Luis Rodriguez, 18-Jair Catuy, 16-Alfredo Stephens, 17-Freddy Gondola, 9-Gaby Torres, Abdiel Arroyo
USA vs. Panama odds, prediction
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Pick: Panama +0.75 Asian Handicap (-125)
A total of 14 out of 19 matches in official competitions between these two teams have been decided by one goal or fewer. Four of the five results that were more lopsided happened to be U.S. home matches during World Cup qualifying. Berhalter teed this one up for the betting crowd:
"They don't let up a lot of chances," Berhalter told media in Panama. "They have the lowest expected goals [against] of the first four games. We're second lowest. [They're a] strong defensive team, heavy crossing team. The one outlier game was the last game, and I don't know if you saw the field conditions and what they were dealing with, it was a very difficult game to play. It was monsoon-type rains, field was flooded. It was an abnormal game. It's a good team. It's a very physically strong team. They'll be very aggressive in duels, they're very good attacking in the penalty box."
The Panama +0.75 Asian Handicap refunds half the bet if Panama loses by a goal. A draw or a Panama victory is a winning bet.
Prediction: Panama 1, USA 1
- Moneyline: Panama +360 / Draw +245 / USA -130
- Spread: Panama +0.5 (+100) / USA -0.5 (-135)
- O/U 2.5 total goals: Over +125 / Under -165
- Both Teams To Score: Yes +115 / No -155