2019 Concacaf Gold Cup — Group Stage
Guyana vs. Panama
FirstEnergy Stadium — Cleveland
June 22 — 5:30 PM ET
TV: FS2, Univision, UDN
STREAMING: FOX Sports GO, TSN GO
After beating Trinidad & Tobago, Panama look to book their spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals when they square off against a Guyana team hoping to bounce back from a loss to the United States when Group D play resumes in Cleveland Saturday night.
This is the first all-time meeting between Guyana, Gold Cup debutants seeking their first win, and Panama, who have twice reached the final.
Guyana
Guyana didn't bunker down or defend in deep blocks. The Golden Jaguars stood strong and went toe-to-toe with the United States, ultimately losing, 4-0, in both team's Group D opener Tuesday at Allianz Field. Paul Arriola broke the stalemate for the US in the 28th minute and Guyana conceded twice in four minutes when Tyler Boyd and Gyasi Zardes scored in quick succession followed by Boyd's second goal.
“[The guys] worked their socks off tonight and each of of them should be patted for not only what they’ve done before [to qualify], but for tonight," Guyana coach Michael Johnson said. "But now, moving forward, you gain the confidence from tonight and go, ‘OK, we’ve got a great chance with lesser FIFA-ranked opposition. Let’s go again. Let’s dust the cobwebs down. Let’s learn the lessons, and let’s try and apply ourselves again for the next game.”
"Four goals in the first half affected us and we saw ourselves as inferior to Mexico and it was tough to attack," he said after the match. "We had one, two chances. The players left tired. It is tough to endure the whole match playing at the pace at which it was played. Mexico had many chances. Against Martinique and Canada we will have a new way of playing."
Panama
After a scoreless first half, Panama broke through for a pair of second-half goals to defeat Trinidad & Tobago in the opening match of Group D Tuesday at Allianz Field.
Former Toronto FC midfielder Armando Cooper scored what proved to be the eventual winner when he took a feed from Gabriel Torres and rounded T&T goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and midfielder Khaleem Hyland before slotting home in the 53rd minute. Edgar Barcenas followed by knocking in his own rebound to double the Los Canaleros lead in the 68th minute.
Series Matchup
- This is the first all-time meeting between Guyana and Panama in the Concacaf Gold Cup
Officials
- Referee: Parchment, Daneon (JAM)
- Assistant Referees: Anderson Nicholas Linton (JAM), Powell, Kedlee Dorvin (JAM)
- 4th Official: Ortiz Nava, Marco Antonio (MEX)
