MNT Concludes Gold Cup Group Play with 1-1 Draw Against Panama

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (July, 13 2015) – After already winning Group A with its 1-0 win over Haiti, the U.S. Men’s National Team concluded group play in the 2015 Gold Cup with a 1-1 draw against Panama in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,467 at Sporting Park in Kansas City. 

Panama was the first to strike with Luis Tejada working to find Blas Perez for the game’s opening goal. The U.S. responded early in the second half when Alejandro Bedoya crossed to Michael Bradley, who buried the game-tying goal, which was his second against Panama in 2015. The U.S. dominated possession following the goal and threatened with a number of opportunities, but had to settle for a share of the points. 

The U.S. MNT has won its group in 12 of the 13 Gold Cups and with this draw improves its all-time record against Panama to 12-1-3 its Gold Cup record against Los Canaleros to 5-1-2. 

The tournament continues for the MNT on Saturday, July 18, with the Quarterfinal match at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, against the third place team from either Group B or C. The game will be broadcast live FOX and Univision. Fans can also follow the action on Twitter @ussoccer and @ussoccer_esp.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Blas Perez (Luis Tejada) 34th minute: Tejada brought the ball inside the box on the right side with his back to Ventura Alvarado. Tejada deked right and then turned back to his left, where he sprinted past Alvarado to the end line. From there Tejada crossed to Perez, who had read the play and volleyed home from close range for the first score of the game. USA 0, PAN 1 (FINAL) (SEE GOAL) 

USA – Michael Bradley (Alejandro Bedoya) 55th minute: The U.S. pressured down the left side. The ball was intercepted by the Panama defense, but the USA recovered possession and moved it to Alejandro Bedoya, who continued down the left side and into the box. As the defense shifted towards Bedoya’s attack it freed Bradley in the center. Bedoya threaded a cross to the captain and he applied a sliding finish to level the game. USA 1, PAN 1 (FINAL) (SEE GOAL) 

Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
USA – Fabian Johnson, 21st minute: Off a Panama corner kick, the ball was flicked on at Guzan, who made a quick reaction save and punched the ball out in front of the goal. Valentin Pimentel was the first to run on to it. Pimentel smashed a shot back at goal, but Fabian Johnson was there with the block. 

USA – Brad Guzan, 75th minute: A sweeping counter from Panama saw the ball floated out wide to second half sub Roberto Nurse, who picked out the near post run of Alberto Quintero. Without breaking stride, Quintero volleyed a one-time blast toward the inside of Guzan’s near post, but the USA ‘keeper made a spectacular one-handed reaction save to deny what could have been a game winner for Panama. 

Next on the Schedule: The U.S. MNT continues play in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the Quarterfinals on July 18 at M&T Bank stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Broadcast information: FOX, Univision
Social: Twitter (@ussoccer; @ussoccer_esp); Facebook; Instagram 

Milestone Watch:

• Michael Bradley scored his 14th career goal and his first in a Gold Cup since 2011. It was Bradley’s second goal against Panama this year.
• Midfielders Alfredo Morales and Alejandro Bedoya made their first appearances in the 2015 Gold Cup. The start was also Morales’ first-ever Gold Cup appearance.
• With his start Morales is officially cap-tied to the U.S. Men’s National Team, following in the footsteps of Alvarado Ventura who became cap-tied to the U.S. earlier in the tournament.
• With his appearance tonight, Bradley tied Kasey Keller for 12th on the MNT’s all-time caps list at 102.

Additional Notes:

• John Brooks earned his second yellow card in the group stage and as a result will be suspended for Saturday’s Quarterfinal match.
• With both Alfredo Morales and Alejandro Bedoya making the starting XI, U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann utilized 21 of his 23 players during the group stage. The only players to not appear yet are goalkeepers Nick Rimando and William Yarbrough.
• Midfielder Michael Bradley and goalkeeper Brad Guzan are the only U.S. players to start all three Gold Cup group matches.
• 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski made his first start of the tournament.
• U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann deployed the same back line that played in the tournament opener against Honduras: Chandler, Alvarado, Brooks and Johnson.
• The U.S. is unbeaten against Panama in the teams’ last six meetings. All of what have come under the auspices of Jurgen Klinsmann.
• The USA is 3-0-1 all-time at Sporting Park and 1-0-1 in Gold Cup games

- U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report -

Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Panama
Date: July 13, 2015
Competition: 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup; Group A
Venue: Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. CT
Attendance: 18,467
Weather: 92 degrees; Partly cloudy

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                            0          1          1
PAN                            1          0          1

PAN – Blas Perez (Luis Tejada)                     34th minute
USA – Michael Bradley (Alejandro Bedoya)  55

Lineups:
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

Stats Summary: USA / PAN
Shots: 6 / 12
Shots on Goal: 3 / 8
Saves: 7 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 4
Fouls: 14 / 17
Offside: 2 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – John Brooks (caution)             16th minute
USA –Timmy Chandler (caution)       44
PAN – Anibal Godoy (caution)           45
USA – Alvarado Ventura (caution)     48

Officials: 
Referee: Roberto Garcia (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Alberto Morin (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Leonel Leal (CRC)
4th Official: Henry Bejarano (CRC)

Budweiser Man of the Match: TBA