The United States Men’s National Team seeks to once again claim the CONCACAF Nations League title, having won all three prior editions of the competition. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has the opportunity to register his first silverware for the program and continue the run of dominance. Panama looks to play spoiler, a role that the Central American nation has ably portrayed this decade while moving into the region’s upper echelon. The 70,240-seat SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California is set to host; as a test run for the World Cup, the match will feature “the debut of a new grass field technology,” a “hybrid carpet made of both artificial turf and natural grass” that “consists of multiple layers” in order to “give the pitch better strength and stability.”
This is the 29th all-time meeting between the two nations, with the USMNT holding an 18-3-7 advantage and triumphing (2-0) in an October friendly. Ranked 36th internationally by FIFA, Panama received an automatic bid into the quarterfinal round of the Nations League by virtue of being ranked fourth in the region and dispatched Costa Rica on aggregate (3-2 [1-0, 2-2]). Los Canaleros (The Canal Men) opened the year with two friendly defeats, falling to Peruvian club side Universitario (1-2) and Chile (1-6).
Appointed to the manager role in July of 2020 and working on a contract extended through 2026, Thomas Christiansen has enjoyed a highly successful tenure that includes a second-place finish at the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup and reaching the quarterfinal round at last summer’s Copa América. Prior to the current gig, the 52-year-old had a peripatetic coaching career with stops at AEK Larnaca, APOEL, Leeds United, and Union Saint-Gilloise. He hopes to “gather experiences from the previous [Nations League Finals} and improve on what [has] been lacking” with a “goal to always compete and do [their] best.”
Christiansen named a 23-player roster for the Nations League, a group that is lacking several key talents. There are six call-ups who split between Liga MX and Major League Soccer while five are on the books at European clubs. Notable absences include Edgar Bárcenas, Eric Davis, Amir Murillo, César Yanis, Roderick Miller, Andrés Andrade, Abdiel Ayarza, and Kahiser Lenis.
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GOALKEEPERS (3): Luis Mejía (Nacional), César Samudio (Marathón), Orlando Mosquera (Al-Fayha)
DEFENDERS (9): César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava), José Córdoba (Norwich City), Fidel Escobar (Saprissa), Edgardo Fariña (Khimki), Martín Krug (Atlético Levante), Jorge Gutiérrez (Deportivo La Guaira), Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United), Iván Anderson (Marathón), Omar Valencia (New York Red Bulls)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Cristian Martínez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona), José Luis Rodríguez (Juárez), Adalberto Carrasquilla (UNAM), Edward Cedeño (Tarazona), Janpol Morales (Macará), Aníbal Godoy (San Diego)
FORWARDS (5): Tomás Rodríguez (Monagas), Ismael Díaz (Universidad Católica), José Fajardo (Universidad Católica), Cecilio Waterman (Coquimbo Unido), Gustavo Herrera (Puebla)
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Christiansen typically deploys a 3-4-3 formation and seeks to be a “ball-dominant team that incorporates positional play” and “take control of matches.” According to Total Football Analysis, the set-up “shares many characteristics with traditional Spanish tactics,” using wing-backs to “afford greater positional flexibility, distinct passing routes,” and “quick sequences.” Despite an adherence to the Johan Cruyff ideology, there is still room for the occasional direct, vertical play that catches the opponents off guard.
A country’s number one is ideally receiving regular playing time at the club level, and Orlando Mosquera settled his club situation by sliding into the starting role at Saudi side Al-Fayha. The 30-year-old goalkeeper has mostly run the show for Panama since June of 2023, bringing a confident equanimity and the agility to pull off the occasional wonder-save. At six-foot-three, he can easily handle a shot-stopper role with the timing and quickness to cover the goalmouth, rarely venturing off of his line unless successful recovery is assured. His distribution can spring the counter-attack, with accurate long-range passing under pressure and the skill and the willingness to take occasional risks.
José Córdoba had a quick start to his tenure with Norwich in the Championship, but his role has dropped to a rotational position, reportedly due to “fitness, suspensions, and a recent disciplinary issue.” When on his game, he is an influential presence with the ball, a shutdown defender who swats away onrushing attackers with ease, and a dominant aerial presence. The imposing six-foot-four Edgardo Fariña displays surprising agility when adjusting to the game’s incidental bounces and can work his way out of a crowd, pairing some decent skill with his athleticism. Total Football Analysis praises his work in possession and willingness to push into higher zones, whether “acting as a supplier for those positioned in the final third” or stepping forward in order to make an interception. Deportivo Saprissa’s Fidel Escobar completes the trio, bringing a physical style and a willingness to do the tireless work on the outside of the formation by chasing down wingers. The 30-year-old centre-back has excellent long-range distribution when given a few seconds to consider his options and looks to spring the transition, bringing necessary verticality against stronger teams. There is also Carlos Harvey of Minnesota United, a versatile generalist with excellent tackling, progressive carry, and take-on statistics, all of which help him to fit into a holistic setup. USL Tactics praises his “constant impetus and pass-and-move mentality” along with serving as a “stopper,” an additional midfielder, or the shuttler with a deft touch.
César Blackman has become an essential performer for Panama and scored two crucial goals last year in the Copa América and the Nations League quarterfinals, finding “key pockets of space between the lines” against the USMNT. The 26-year-old Slovan Bratislava fullback is adept at taking on opponents off of the dribble and has the pace to contribute in both halves, blazing up and down the touchline to increase the tempo and regain possession. Marathón’s Iván Anderson has been pushing for a greater role within the squad after significant time on the periphery, another attack-minded option who takes chances with lower-percentage crosses and constant one-on-ones. His best moments come from the relentless zeal to force the game, whether moving ahead or immediately pressing after losing possession, which often results in regaining the ball. For a younger option, Omar Valencia appears at the incipient stages of a breakout season with the New York Red Bulls, picking up three starts and notching an assist. The “rising star” looks to take chances when building out of the back and has a visually appealing style with his gliding runs, velvety left-footed passes, and painless intercessions that strip the opponent.
Christiansen pushed Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla to leave the Houston Dynamo for UNAM Pumas in order to “compete at the highest level,” with the “excellent chance creator” demonstrating “the ability to pop up between defensive lines and play the final pass.” The 26-year-old midfielder “is eager to involve himself” and “covers ample real estate” with a high-octane style that sees him pushing the tempo and contributing the occasional superlative solo effort. Cristian Martínez is currently on loan with Ironi Kiryat Shmona in the Israeli Premier League, operating as a steadying presence from a deep-lying role and providing connections across the formation. He covers the width of the field on defense and can play the necessary incisive ball into the box but does his best work during a slower build-up with constant scanning before playing a smart pass. The veteran Aníbal Godoy moved from Nashville SC to San Diego FC over the MLS offseason, following a “consistent and productive” campaign in which his responsibility was “to be the more creative [member] of the double pivot.” His physical play, adeptness at interceptions, and general attraction to the ball should extend his career, particularly as a useful late-game substitution to help protect leads.
After being left out of the squad and suffering a hip injury in November, Ismael Díaz has enjoyed a strong few months with Universidad Católica, registering appealing passing and progression statistics along with four goals in five matches. He will pinch into the center and at times resemble an additional striker, finding himself on the end of crosses and making narrow runs in order to receive through balls. José Luis Rodríguez, or Puma, reemerged as an important contributor for the program with a steady stream of goals in big matches, including the eventual clincher against Costa Rica. The 26-year-old on-loan Juárez winger embarrasses defenders with his elaborate dribbling moves, carries possession forward in short bursts, and blasts finishes with his powerful left foot. Having recently made his senior international debut, Macará’s Janpol Morales can line up as an attacker, midfielder, and wing-back, earning praise from the manager for his “finishing, [hard] work, and commitment.” With “speed and precision,” his heat map covers the width of the field with an energetic style that sees him acting as a forceful creator and an acrobatic converter of chances while also making the occasional heroic defensive stop.
With an increasingly respectable scoring rate for Panama, José Fajardo is expected to continue to lead the formation and contribute in key moments, particularly against the USMNT. The 31-year-old Universidad Católica striker produced 19 goals and eight assists last season for the Ecuadorian side with a relentless work rate and grinding style that involves constantly seeking out the ball. He boasts “great ability to [convert] in the one-on-one against the goalkeeper, generates and opens the field with breakthrough passes, and manages to appear in different lanes.” His varied skill set slots him into equal roles as the transition leader, physical back-to-the-defender distributor, and opportunistic finisher.
Over the past few years, Panama has been a challenging opponent for the USMNT, with last summer’s fiery Copa América fixture perhaps pushing the series into the nebulous designation of “true rivalry.” The hosts have a stronger roster and should be expected to advance to the final in pursuit of a fourth Nations League title, but the international game can be fickle. In the midst of a club season and with cagier tactics expected, perhaps there is a surprise in the works.
The match is scheduled for Thursday, March 20th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include Paramount+, Univision, and Fubo TV (free trial).
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