MNT Squares Off with Panama for Gold Cup Bronze

U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Panama
Gold Cup – Third Place Match
PPL Park – Chester, Pa.
July 26, 2015

U.S. MNT SQUARES OFF WITH PANAMA FOR GOLD CUP BRONZE: The U.S. Men’s National Team will meet Panama in the third place match of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Wed, July 25 at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2 and Univision.

The U.S. MNT has played in the third place game twice in the 13 editions of the tournament, and has won both times. In 1996, the USA defeated Guatemala 3-0 in Los Angeles and seven years later came from behind to win 3-2 against Costa Rica in Miami.

Meantime, Panama has reached the third place game or the final in each of the last three Gold Cups.

The USA saw its title defense end in the semifinal round in Atlanta when the team fell 2-1 to Jamaica, ending a nine-match unbeaten streak dating back to March. The U.S. is 3-1-1 in this tournament after defeating Cuba 6-0 in the quarterfinal and winning Group A with a 2-0-1 record, which included a 1-1 draw with Panama. Los Canaleros reached the semifinal after falling 2-1 in extra time to Mexico at the Georgia Dome. Panama got to that game after defeating Trinidad and Tobago in 6-5 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw.

The USA is 12-1-3 all-time against Panama. They have met eight times in the Gold Cup, in which the USA holds a 5-1-2 record, including the group finale on July 13 in which Michael Bradley leveled the game on a goal in the 55^th minute.

The MNT has played one other match at PPL Park, a scoreless draw on Oct. 12, 2010 against Colombia. The MNT is 3-2-2 all-time in matches in the state of Pennsylvania.

U.S. ROSTER NOTES:

• Clint Dempsey has scored six goals in this tournament and is the current leader in the race for the Golden Boot. He notched a hat trick in the Gold Cup quarterfinal win against Cuba, and in so doing pushed push his career total to 11 in the tournament, which ranks second in MNT history behind only Landon Donovan (18). In the last five games Dempsey has scored seven goals and increased his career total to 47 international goals, which ranks second on the USA’s all-time list, behind only Donovan again (57).
• Michael Bradley has played every minute of the USA’s 13 matches so far in 2015. In addition to Bradley, Gyasi Zardes has appeared in all 13 games this year:
• Bradley is the captain for the MNT for the USA’s run in the Gold Cup. Bradley has started as the team’s captain in eight straight matches.
• The U.S. MNT set attendance records in three games in July: #USAvGUA in Tennessee was the most-attended soccer match state history, #USAvHON was the most-attended international match at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, and #USAvHAI was the most-attended MNT Gold Cup match at Gillette Stadium. A sell-out crowd was also on hand in Kansas City for #USAvPAN.
• Twelve MNT players made their Gold Cup debuts in this tournament: Greg Garza, Alan Gordon, Brad Guzan Timmy Chandler, Ventura Alvarado, John Brooks, Aron Johannsson, Fabian Johnson, Alfredo Morales, DeAndre Yedlin, Gyasi Zardes and Graham Zusi.
• After the group stage, three roster changes were made. Greg Garza, Alfredo Morales and Jozy Altidore were replaced with DaMarcus Beasley, Joe Corona and Alan Gordon. Corona came on at the start of the second half in the match against Cuba.
• Beasley joins the group as the MNT’s most experienced player of the 23, having earned 121 caps for the United States. Beasley is the only American to play in four World Cups and last appeared for the USA and last appeared for the USA in the team’s 2-1 loss to Colombia on Nov. 14, 2014 in London, England. Beasley now returns for his sixth Gold Cup (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013), having already been a part of four Gold Cup title winning teams, including as captain of the 2013 title winning team.
• Alan Gordon was a part of the team that won the Gold Cup in 2013, the LA Galaxy striker made his 2015 debut for the National Team in the semifinal against Jamaica. Joe Corona played a big part in the MNT’s 2013 Gold Cup title run, scoring twice in the tournament and debuted in this tournament in the quarterfinal match with Cuba
• Chris Wondolowski (5), Kyle Beckerman, Bradley, and Mix Diskerud have all scored goals in previous Gold Cups. All five of Wondolowski’s goals came in the 2013 Gold Cup, where he tied for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
• Sixteen players on this roster were a part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, marking the highest return rate of players between the two rosters in years that the Gold Cup has followed the FIFA World Cup (1991, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2013).
• Seven players were a part of the USA team that won the Gold Cup in 2013: Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Diskerud, Omar Gonzalez, Nick Rimando and Wondolowski.
• The USA has reached the Gold Cup Final in five straight tournaments and six out of the last seven. The team finished in third place in 2003 after losing to a Kaka-led Brazil.
• Dempsey (19), Bradley (15) and Beckerman (14) have all played in more than 10 Gold Cup games. Wondolowski (10) and Bedoya (10) have also seen their share of Gold Cup action.
• Nine different players from this roster have scored for the USA in 2015: Jozy Altidore, Bradley, John Brooks, Timmy Chandler, Dempsey, Diskerud, Aron Johannsson, Wondolowski and Gyasi Zardes.
• Tim Ream has earned honors as the Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons.
• Against Netherlands on June 5, Brad Guzan made his first appearance since he played against Colombia on Nov. 14, 2014. It was his first start of 2015. Also picking up wins against Germany, Guatemala and Honduras, Haiti and Cuba. Guzan is an unbeaten 6-1-1 in 2015.
• Fabian Johnson helped lift Borussia Mönchengladbach to a third-place finish in the Bundesliga that earned the club a spot in the 2016 UEFA Champions League group stage. The German side went 10-0-2 with Johnson in the starting lineup this season.
• Johannsson recorded four goals in his final three matches as AZ Alkmaar snatched the third spot in the Dutch Eredivisie and a place in the 2016 UEFA Europa League. Johannsson scored his first Gold Cup goal in the quarterfinal against Cuba.
• Alfredo Morales played a key role in FC Ingolstadt securing first place in the second division in Germany and subsequent promotion to the Bundesliga.
• Zusi was both part of the team that represented the U.S. in the World Cup last summer and this year’s Gold Cup roster. He made his first appearance of 2015 in the match against Guatemala on July 3 in Nashville.
• William Yarbrough, 26, was born and raised in Mexico to two American parents. He has marshaled the backline for Club Leon to the 2013 Apertura and 2014 Clausura titles.
• Ventura Alvarado, who is now cap-tied to the U.S. after starting in the match against Honduras on July 7, has appeared in seven straight matches since making his debut in a U.S. uniform on March 25 against Denmark. Alvarado is a regular starter for the Club America team that captured the CONCACAF Champions League title and a trip to the FIFA Club World Cup. He has started five of the last six games for the U.S. MNT, in which the team is 4-1-0.
• Seven leagues from six countries are represented on the roster: Canada, England, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands and the United States.
• William Yarbrough, 26, was born and raised in Mexico to two American parents. He has marshaled the backline for Club Leon to the 2013 Apertura and 2014 Clausura titles.
• Dempsey leads the team in points with 10 in 2015 on five goals. 

USA vs. PANAMA:

• The U.S. holds a 12-1-3 all-time against Panama, with the two sides first meeting at the 1993 Gold Cup.
• Saturday’s match marks the third meeting between the teams in 2015. Most recently, the U.S. and Panama played to a 1-1 draw in their final Group match of the 2015 Gold Cup. MNT captain Michael Bradley scored the equalizer in the 55th minute.
• Goals from Bradley and Clint Dempsey helped give the MNT a 2-0 friendly victory against Los Canaleros on Feb. 8 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.  
• Bradley, Dempsey and Graham Zusi have each scored two career goals against Panama while Kyle Beckerman and Aron Johannsson have also tallied single strikes against the Central American nation.
• The MNT is 72-23-23 against Central American nations all-time. 

USA in the GOLD CUP:

• The U.S. MNT is 2-0-0 all-time in CONCACAF Gold Cup Third Place matches.
• The MNT’s first Third Place match came during the 1996 Gold Cup against Guatemala. Goals from Jeff Agoos, Jovan Kirovski and Eric Wynalda eased the side past Los Chapines 3-0 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Jan. 21, 1996.
• The team’s other appearance in a Third Place match came during the 2003 Gold Cup against Costa Rica. Trailing 2-0 at halftime, the MNT rallied with goals from Earnie Stewart, Carlos Bocanegra and Bobby Convey to earn a 3-2 win at Miami’s Orange Bowl on July 23, 2003.
• The MNT is 20-7-4 in knockout matches all-time in the Gold Cup.
• The USA has won its group in 12 of the 13 Gold Cups, and following the win against Cuba is 8-0-1 all-time in quarterfinal matches.
• The U.S. is now 52-8-6 all-time in Gold Cup matches and has reached the quarterfinal in each of the last seven events, going a perfect 7-0-0 in those games.
• The USA has won the Gold Cup five times (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013) and finished as the runner-up four times (1992, 1998, 2009, 2011). The MNT has finished outside of the top four only once (2000). 

Last time out:

The USA fell 2-1 to Jamaica in the semifinal of the tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

• With his goal, U.S. captain Michael Bradley became the fourth #USMNT player in history to record 15 goals & 15 assists (Landon Donovan, Cobi Jones, Eric Wynalda).
• Bradley tied goalkeeper Tim Howard for 11th on the all-time MNT cap list with 104 appearances.
• Midfielder Kyle Beckerman made his 50th all-time appearance. 

IN FOCUS: Panama
Federación Panameña de Fútbol
Founded: 1937
FIFA Affiliation: 1938
Head Coach: Hernan Gomez
FIFA World Ranking: 62
Best World Cup Finish: Never Qualified
Best Gold Cup Finish: Runners-up: 2005, 2013
Leading Cap-Winner: Gabriel Gomez (111)
Leading Goalscorer: Luis Tejada (38) 

Panama Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3) – Jose Calderon (Coatepeque/Guatemala); Luis Mejia (CA Fenix/Uruguay); Jaime Penedo (LA Galaxy/USA)
DEFENDERS (6) – Harold Cummings (Independiente Santa Fe/Colombia); Erick Davis (Sporting San Miguelito/Panama); Luis Henriquez (Lech Poznan/Poland); Adolfo Machado (Saprissa/Costa Rica); Angel Patrick (Arabe Unido/Panama); Roman Torres (Millonarios/Colombia)
MIDFIELDERS (8) – Miguel Camargo (Chorrillo FC/Panama); Armando Cooper (FC St. Pauli/Germany); Anibal Godoy (Budapest Honved/Hungary); Gabriel Gomez (Herediano/Costa Rica); Valentin Pimentel (Plaza Amador/Panama); Darwin Pinzon (Sporting San Miguelito/Panama); Alberto Quintero (Lobos BUAP/MEX); Alfredo Stephens (Chorrillo FC/Panama);
FORWARDS (6) – Abdiel Arroyo (Arabe Unido/Panama); Rolando Blackburn (Comunicaciones/Guatemala); Roberto Nurse (Dorados Sinaloa/Mexico); Blas Perez (FC Dallas/USA); Luis Tejada (Juan Aurich/Peru); Gabriel Torres (Colorado Rapids/USA);

PANAMA NOTES:

• Panama is 10-10-13 all-time in the Gold Cup.
• Thirteen players from this roster were a part of the 2013 Panama team that advanced to the Gold Cup Final.
• Panama head coach Hernan Dario Gomez is an experienced manager having helmed Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala before taking over Panama in 2014. He led Ecuador to its first World Cup in 2002.
• Goalkeeper Jaime Penedo will miss the game, serving a two game suspension.
• Luis Tejada is not eligible for the game after a red card against Mexico. Valentín Pimentel picked up his second yellow card of the knockout stage in that game and is also suspended.
• Seven players on the roster play for clubs in Panama
• Three players on the roster play in MLS: Gabriel Torres (Colorado Rapids), Jaime Penedo (LA Galaxy) and Blas Perez (FC Dallas)
• Panama has reached the third place game or the final in each of the last three Gold Cups
• Blas Perez has scored 11 goals in the Gold Cup, which ties with Clint Dempsey for the third most in tournament history

On the field against Panama:  
July 13, 2015 – Sporting Park – Kansas City, Kansas. – 2015 Gold Cup - Group A

USA                1          Michael Bradley 55’
PAN                1          Blas Perez 34’

USA: 1-Brad Guzan; 21-Timmy Chandler, 13-Ventura Alvarado, 6-John Brooks, 23-Fabian Johnson; 5-Kyle Beckerman, 11-Alejandro Bedoya (9-Aron Johannsson, 71), 7-Alfredo Morales (2-DeAndre Yedlin, 46), 4-Michael Bradley (capt.); 18-Chris Wondolowski (8-Clint Dempsey, 46), 20-Gyasi Zardes
Subs Not Used: 12-Nick Rimando, 22-William Yarbrough; 3-Omar Gonzalez, 10-Mix Diskerud, 14-Greg Garza, 15-Tim Ream, 16-Brad Evans, 17-Jozy Altidore, 19-Graham Zusi
Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

PAN: 1-Jamie Penedo; 11-Armando Cooper, 5-Roman Torres (capt.), 3-Harold Cummings, 15-Erick Davis; 2-Valentin Pimentel (14-Miguel Camargo, 62), 20-Anibal Godoy, 6-Gabriel Gomez, 19-Alberto Quintero (22-Abdiel Arroyo, 86); 7-Blas Perez, 10-Luis Tejada (9-Roberto Nurse, 71)
Subs Not Used: 4-Alfredo Stephens, 8-Gabriel Torres, 12-Luis Mejia, 13-Adolfo Machado, 16-Rolando Blackburn, 17-Luis Henriquez, 18-Darwin Pinzon, 21-Jose Calderon, 23-Angel Patrick
Head coach: Hernan Gomez