Live Updates and Result: USMNT Battles Panama in Gold Cup Semifinals
USMNT faces Panama in Gold Cup semifinals following exhausting quarterfinal.
In a thrilling and exhausting quarterfinal match, the USMNT narrowly escaped defeat against Canada to keep their Gold Cup title defense alive. Now, they face Panama in the semifinals with a chance to reach the final for the second consecutive tournament.
After a penalty shootout victory over Canada, the USMNT has less than 72 hours to recover before taking the field again. Panama, who defeated Qatar in their quarterfinal match and had an extra day of rest, will be eager to secure their third-ever Gold Cup final appearance.
The Sporting News is providing live coverage of the USA vs Panama match, including score updates, commentary, and highlights.
The projected lineups for the match are as follows:
USA (4-3-3, right to left): Turner (GK) -- Reynolds, M. Robinson, Neal, D. Jones -- Busio, Sands, Mihailovic -- Gressel, Ferreira, Cowell.
Panama (3-4-3, right to left): Mosquera (GK) -- Escobar, Cummings, Andrade -- Barcenas, Carrasquilla, Godoy, Davis -- Fajardo, Quintero, Diaz.
Just two hours before kickoff, it was announced that Christian Pulisic, a star player for the USMNT, has completed a move to AC Milan. While the official announcement is yet to be made, hints from Milan's social media accounts and Pulisic's interaction with Milan fans suggest that the deal is done.
Most of the USMNT players who started the Canada match are expected to retain their places in the lineup, barring any issues with recovery. However, interim manager B.J. Callaghan faces a decision regarding Alex Zendejas, who has struggled throughout the tournament. Cade Cowell, who has made a significant impact off the bench, could earn a starting role on the left wing.
No players on the United States team have accumulated enough yellow cards to be suspended for the semifinals. It is unclear whether Aidan Morris has returned to the team after being granted personal leave, but Jordan Morris is available after coming off the bench against Canada.
The expected starting lineup for the USA is as follows: Turner (GK) -- Reynolds, M. Robinson, Neal, D. Jones -- Busio, Sands, Mihailovic -- Gressel, Ferreira, Cowell.
Panama's head coach, Thomas Christiansen, is likely to stick with the same starting lineup that secured a 4-0 victory over Qatar in the quarterfinals. Goalkeeper Orlando 'El Cuti' Mosquera has been the preferred choice in goal throughout the tournament, despite the presence of veteran Luis Mejia on the roster. Anibal Godoy, with 125 caps, is a key player in Panama's midfield.
The match between the United States and Panama will be televised in the United States on FS1 (English) and Univision and TUDN (Spanish). Canadian viewers can watch the match on Telus Optik TV (Channel 980) or stream it on Fubo Canada or the OneSoccer site and app.
While the United States is favored to win due to their status as defending champions, Panama should not be underestimated. They are a strong and experienced team that could exploit the weaknesses shown by the USMNT in their previous match against Canada. With the USMNT facing a quick turnaround and limited time to recover, Panama's moneyline odds of over 4/1 may offer value.
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