ORLANDO – In the middle of a tropical storm at Camping World Stadium, a 35-year-old Panamaniam striker turned back the clock to earn his country three points.

Blas Perez scored on either side of a Bolivia goal to hand Panama a 2-1 victory in the first Group D match on Monday. The Bolivians equalized from a set piece after an early Perez strike, but Super Raton scored again late to secure the win. The match featured back and forth action for most of the night, as each minnow looked to earn a much needed result before facing the two giants of the group.

Perez scored the opener in the 11th minute. The Vancouver Whitecaps striker slid to perfectly execute a volley that would put away Alberto Quintero’s one-time cross from the left side of the box.

Quintero proved to be a continuous attacking threat for his side, using quick footwork on the wing to create chances throughout.

Perez almost put another away spectacularly about thirty minutes in, dribbling past his man and storming back into the box, but a number of Bolivian defenders forced him into a weak, off-balanced curling shot.

After continuously pressuring Panama and putting quality shots on goal, Bolivia got a deserved equalizer in the 54th minute. Juan Carlos Arce scored off a fantastic curling free kick sent in from deep by Martin Smedberg-Dalence. The ball was whipped into the danger area and eventually fell to Arce, who smashed it into the roof of the net.

Bolivian attacker Yasmani Duk could’ve put his side in front with a second goal in under five minutes had it not been for a splendid defensive play from Panamanian center back Harold Cummings. Cummings caught up to Duk as he ran with the ball into the box, making a brilliant stab at the ball to send it clear.

Another great showing of offensive skill from Panama came in the 74th minute as Armando Cooper whipped in an outside of the foot delivery to Quintero, who brought it down and shot low and hard to the near post. Carlos Lampe made a great reaction save, though, to keep the score level.

Then, in the 84th minute, Luis Tejada missed a chance to bury the ball in an empty net when the Bolivian keeper parried a shot into his path.

All was made right in the 87th minute, though, when Tejada orchestrated a play that led to Perez slamming home the winner and his second of the night. After missing the open chance just minutes earlier, Tejada sprayed the ball out wide to substitute Abdiel Arroyo, who beat his man on the right wing and slid the ball into the center of the box for Perez to finish.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Panama forward Blas Perez scored both of his country’s goals and almost singlehandedly created another spectacular strike in this game.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Just moments after missing a crucial chance to put his team in front, Panama’s Luis Tejada set the play in motion that would end in Perez’s match-winning goal.

MATCH TO FORGET

Referee Ricardo Montero let aggressive play go on early and often and lost control of the game, needing to dish out seven yellow cards to try and reign in the teams as they fought over points in this first match.