Five Things To Know About Panama

The U.S. Women’s National Team continues Group A play at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship on Oct. 7 against Panama at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (5 p.m. ET on FS1 and UDN). The U.S. team is coming off an impressive 6-0 win against Mexico on Thursday.

Here are five things to know about the Panama:

PANAMA WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): 12-Farissa Cordoba (Plaza Amador), 1-Yenith Bailey (San Francisco)
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Hilary Jaén (Sporting FC), 3-Maria Murillo (Nacional), 14-Maryorie Perez (Chorrillo FC), 13-Onelys Alvarado (Provincial de Veraguas), 15-Rebeca Espinosa (Provincial de Chiriqui), 16-Sheyla Díaz (Ciudad), 5-Yomira Pinzon (Atletico Nacional)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 6-Aldrith Quintero (Tauro FC), 4-Katherine Castillo (Atletico Nacional), 7-Kenia Rangel (Atletico Nacional), 8-Laurie Batista (Chorrillo FC), 20-Maria Montenegro (Atletico Nacional), 10-Marta Cox (Deportes Quindio, COL)
FORWARDS (5): 17-Anuvis Angulo (Unattached), 18-Erika Hernandez (Chorrillo FC), 9-Karla Riley (Sporting FC), 19-Lineth Cedeño (Tauro FC), 11-Natalia Mills (Atletico Nacional)

STRONG START IN CARY
Panama opened the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship on Oct. 4 with an upset victory against Trinidad & Tobago, but the 3-0 win was also impressive. Panama out-shot T&T 20-10 and got goals from Marta Cox, Kenia Rangel and substitute Erika Hernandez.The victory was just the second for Panama in the history of the Concacaf Women's Championship. They currently sit in second place in the Group A standings behind the USA on goal difference.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Panama qualified for the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship through the Central American Zone of CWC Qualifying, where it finished second to Costa Rica.Panama opened with a 4-0 victory against Nicaragua on two goals from Karla Riley and one each from Yomira Pinzon and Lineth Cedeño.Panama then downed El Salvador, 6-2, to clinch its berth behind a hat trick from Kenia Rangel and single goals from Natalia Millis, Riley and Cedeño. Panama was down 1-0 in the match before storming back.It lost to Costa Rica, 3-1, in the finale as Erika Hernandez scored, but both teams had already secured their berths to the final round.

LAST MEETING
The last meeting between Panama and the USA came in USA in 2002, a 9-0 U.S. win in Seattle, Washington. The game saw 2018 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Tiffeny Milbrett tie a U.S. record with five goals in a single match. Additionally, Shannon MacMillan scored twice, while Tiffany Roberts and Abby Wambach also tallied. That match remains the only one between the teams at the senior level in women's soccer.

HISTORY AT CONCACAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Panama is competing in its third CWC, and this will be the second meeting with the USA in the tournament.Panama competed in the final round of the 2002 and 2006 Concacaf qualifying tournaments. Panama has yet to qualify for a FIFA Women’s World Cup.

PANAMA IN 2018
Panama was one of the biggest movers in the latest FIFA rankings, picking up 75 places to 66th in the world. Panama has a 5-1-2 record this year with the lone loss coming vs. Costa Rica. Panama is led by head coach Victor Suarez, who has been involved with soccer in Panama for more than 10 years. The Argentine was a professional player for several clubs in Panama, including San Francisco FC, CD Plaza Amador, Tauro FC, Chorrillo FC and Sporting SM, and coached both men and women’s teams before taking the head job for Panama.