- Panama shocked defending champions USA with a 1-0 away win to reach the CONCACAF Nations League final
- Cecilio Waterman scored the only goal of the match, spoiling Mauricio Pochettino’s debut as USA coach
- Panama will face Mexico in the final after Raúl Jiménez’s brace secured a 2-0 win over Canada
Key Takeaways:
Panama secured a 1-0 away victory over defending champions USA, booking their place in the CONCACAF Nations League final. The Americans controlled the game but failed to capitalize on their dominance. Late in the match, Panama made the most of one of their few chances, with Cecilio Waterman scoring the decisive goal with a diagonal shot. The defeat spoiled Mauricio Pochettino’s debut as head coach of the USA and denied the team a chance to reach a fourth consecutive final, having won the tournament in 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Panama scored a 94th minute winner against the USA and went straight to Thierry Henry, who was reporting pitch-side, to celebrate 😅🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/9Tecfmf0yr
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 21, 2025
The loss is a major setback for the USA, as their only remaining opportunity to win a title before co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada is now the CONCACAF Gold Cup, set to take place from June 14 to July 6.
Panama’s victory comes amid escalating political tensions between the two nations in recent weeks. Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has laid claims to the Panama Canal as a key transport corridor and accused Panamanian officials of various wrongdoings.
In the final, Panama will face Mexico, who defeated Canada 2-0 in California. Raúl Jiménez scored both goals, one early in the match and another in stoppage time.