PREVIEW: USMNT Continues Copa América Group Stage Play against Panama on Thursday
Concacaf Adversaries Meet in Group C Action From Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, Univision, TUDN and FDP Radio
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ATLANTA (June 26, 2024) — The U.S. Men’s National Team continues its Copa América 2024 campaign with a Group C matchup against Concacaf counterparts Panama on Thursday, June 27 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage available on FOX, Univision, TUDN, and FDP Radio.
Alongside broadcast coverage, fans will also be able to follow the match via Facebook, Twitter @USMNT, Instagram @USMNT and the official U.S. Soccer App.
Following Thursday’s match, the USMNT will wrap up play in Group C against Uruguay in Kansas City, Mo. on July 1.
GOALKEEPERS (3): 18-Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City/WAL; 9), 25-Sean Johnson (Toronto FC/CAN; 13), 1-Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 42)
DEFENDERS (9): 2-Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 17/0), 23-Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), 24-Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 13/0), 16-Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 19/1), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 59/1), 3-Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 19/1), 5-Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 44/4), 12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 29/3), 22-Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 12/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 4-Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 40/2), 15-Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 14/0), 14-Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 22/0), 8-Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 54/11), 6-Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 38/0), 7-Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 29/8), 17-Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 11/0)
FORWARDS (7): 11-Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 42/8), 20-Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 13/4), 9-Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 26/10), 10-Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 69/30), 26-Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 23/5), 21-Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 40/6), 19-Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 10/4)
The USMNT enters Thursday night’s match on the heels of a 2-0 victory over Bolivia in their opening match of the tournament this past Saturday. Christian Pulisic found the opener just over two minutes into the match, unleashing a skilled finish from distance off a Tim Weah feed from a corner kick. The goal was the 30th of Pulisic’s international career, a total that put him level with Brian McBride for fifth on the USMNT’s all-time scoring list. Just before halftime, Folarin Balogun doubled the advantage on a feed from Pulisic to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead it would not relent.
Panama opened their Copa América quest against Uruguay on Sunday at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Despite going down 1-0 in the 16th minute via a Maximiliano Araújo goal, Panama kept themselves in the match until the game’s final minutes. Darwin Núñez netted a second for Uruguay in the 85th, followed by a third from Matias Viña in the 91st. Panama did pull a late one back three minutes later via Michael Murillo to cap the match at 3-1 in favor of Uruguay.
Going into Thursday night, both Uruguay and the U.S. have earned three points and a +2 goal differential, but Uruguay currently tops the group courtesy of their three total goals scored. Panama and Bolivia are level at zero points, with Panama ahead of Bolivia in third due to their total goals scored.
The USA currently holds a 17W-2L-7D record against Panama in the all-time series.
The USMNT has previously met Panama in a tournament setting 12 times, all of which came in Concacaf Gold Cup play. In those matches, the U.S. holds a 6W-1L-5D advantage.
In their most recent encounter, Panama came away victorious in a Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal meeting on July 12, 2023. After finishing level at one goal apiece following extra time, Panama came away 5-4 victors in the penalty kick shootout that ensued. Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the decisive penalty kick past goalkeeper Matt Turner, while Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera denied attempts by Cristian Roldan and Jesús Ferreira during the shootout.
Prior to that match, the teams split their two qualifying matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Panama recorded a 1-0 home win behind Anibal Godoy's 54th-minute goal on Oct. 10, 2021, before the USA rolled to a 5-1 triumph in Orlando on March 27, 2022. Christian Pulisic led the way with a hattrick, while Paul Arriola and Jesús Ferreira added single tallies.
Chosen as the future home of U.S Soccer’s National Training Center, Atlanta will host the USMNT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time. This is only the second visit for the U.S. to the Peach State since 1977, having fallen 2-1 to Jamaica on July 22, 2015, at the Georgia Dome in the semifinal of the Gold Cup.
The U.S. has participated in Copa América four times since the tournament’s inception in 1916. After its inaugural appearance in 1993, the USA surprised the world with a 3-0 win against Argentina in the group stage in 1995 en route to a fourth-place finish, losing to Brazil in the semifinal. After not advancing from the group stage in 2007, the U.S. shone in the 2016 Copa América Centenario, again finishing fourth after falling to a No. 1-ranked Argentina team led by Lionel Messi in the semifinal.
The United States is one of six guest teams in the CONMEBOL confederation championship. No invitee from outside South America has ever won the tournament. Since 2011, only two of 12 have even reached the knockout rounds, with the USA and Mexico both advancing at the 2016 Copa America Centenario.
In their 2024 Copa América opener on Sunday, June 23, Panama dropped a 3-1 result to Uruguay in Miami, Fla. Maximiliano Araújo scored in the 16th minute, before Darwin Núñez (85th minute) and Matías Viña (90+1) added late goals for the South Americans. Michael Murillo tallied four minutes into injury time for Panama.
Prior to Sunday’s Copa América opener, Panama had recorded a 2W-3L-0D mark in the Concacaf Nations League, 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying and a lone friendly.
In the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in Arlington, Texas on March 21, Panama dropped a 3-0 decision to Mexico. Three days later in the competition’s third place match, the Central Americans lost 1-0 to Jamaica, who prevailed on Dexter Lembikisa's 42nd-minute goal.
Last month, the Panamanians registered a pair of FIFA World Cup Qualifying wins. They started with a 2-0 home victory over Guyana on June 6, courtesy of goals from Cristian Martínez and José Luis Rodríguez. Then, in what was considered a Montserrat home game in Managua, Nicaragua on June 9, Panama secured a 3-1 victory. Jovani Welch, José Fajardo, and Rodríguez were the goalscorers. Goalie Luis Mejia backstopped both victories.
In its lone friendly leading up to Copa América, Panama lost 1-0 to Paraguay in Panama City. Gustavo Velázquez connected for the lone goal in the 25th minute for the visiting side.
Denmark native Thomas Christiansen took over Panama's head coaching reins on July 23, 2020, replacing Américo Gallego. He has since guided the Central Americans to a 29-14-17 mark.
The 51-year-old Christiansen played for several clubs in his native country, as well as Spain and Germany during a 15-year professional career. His teams included Barcelona, Sporting Gijon, Racing Santander, Oviedo and Villarreal in Spain and with Bochum and Hannover in Germany.
Upon turning to coaching in 2013, he’s since led AEK Larmaca and APOEL in Greece, Leeds United in England and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium before making the jump to Panama.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Luis Mejía (Nacional/URU; 53/0), César Samudio (Marathón/HON; 2/0), Orlando Mosquera (Maccabi Tel Aviv; ISR; 25/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Eric Davis (Košice/Slovakia/SVK; 89/7), José Córdoba (Norwich City/ENG; 14/0) César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava/SVK; 21/0), Michael Amir Murillo (Marseille/FRA; 74/9), Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz/AZE; 41/2), Iván Anderson (Fortaleza/COL; 11/1), Eduardo Anderson (Saprissa/CRC; 8/0), Edgardo Fariña (Municipal/GUA; 3/0), Omar Valencia (New York Red Bulls II/USA; 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlán/MEX; 86/9), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Houston Dynamo/USA; 57/2), José Luis Rodríguez (Red Star Belgrade/SRB; 48/6), César Yanis (San Carlos/CRC; 47/3), Abdiel Ayarza (Cienciano/ PER; 27/4), Cristian Martínez (Al-Jandal/Saudi Arabia/KSA; 41/1), Freddy Góndola (Maccabi Bnei Reineh/ISR; 18/1), Jovani Welch (Académico de Viseu/POR; 16/1), Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United/USA; 5/1), Kahiser Lenis (Jaguares/COL; 4/2)
FORWARDS (3): Eduardo Guerrero (Zorya Luhansk/UKR; 9/0), Ismael Díaz (Universidad Católica/ECU; 40/9), José Fajardo (Universidad Católica/ECU; 47/11)