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USMNT vs. Panama: Live Commentary

The U.S. Men’s National Team closes group stage play in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup tonight against Panama at Children’s Mercy Park, aiming top spot in Group D.

Gregg Berhalter’s side comes in off back-to-back wins against Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, which has clinched them a spot in the quarterfinals.

Berhalter has made a full 11 changes for this match with Omar Gonzalez captaining the side. Jozy Altidore and Jordan Morris headline the attack, while Sean Johnson comes in between the posts.

The SBI editorial staff will be providing live commentary on this evening’s match so feel free to follow the action here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions (NOT play-by-play commentary) in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match.

Comments

  1. A good learning curve for the backups. Avoid turning it over cheaply in the midfield, please! Other than that, a pat on the back for the USMNT finishing top of the group.

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  2. FT: USMNT 1 – Panama 0. The U.S. finish the group stage perfect and Jozy Altidore scores the winning goal in Kansas City. The team next faces Curacao on Sunday in one of two quarterfinals in Philadelphia. Panama will meet Jamaica earlier that day. Thanks for following!

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  3. ref a pure joke. Mihailovic taken down from behind with a slide into second base through his legs, no foul. just one example

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    • the replay was great. you can see Jozy’s face as the opportunity arose off the header from the Panama defender; you could see him unlock all of it in that nano second and then execute the bicycle

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  4. not bad with the full 11 change. some nice bright spots along with other stuff, but Trapp played as well as I’ve seen him in the uniform, nice to see.

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  5. Lewis, Lovitz, struggling and thus Mihailovic with not much. Roldan pretty poor but did create the best chance so far. Morris and Cannon the best so far for me. Miazga has been good in the air, Omar is frightening everytime Panama tries a long ball.

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      • Exactly, the shaky turnovers in midfield had me sitting by the edge of the sofa. The chemistry and rustiness will become much better in the second half. They were quite close to scoring 3 times in the first half. Go USMNT!

    • If I understood the Univisión guys correctly, they also said that Panama seems to be targeting González much more than Miazga. To me that’s partly a factor of his age and his speed, yeah, but also maybe of him taking so much personal flak from US fans, which is basically like inviting opponents to take a run at him. As one of the Univisión guys said, if you’re going to play him at all, you have to give him a chance to stand up to the pressure and fight back. Maybe that includes supporting him a little more as long as he’s in the lineup.

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  6. Roldan wins a corner but the USMNT won’t be able to take it. Halftime in Kansas City as the sides go into the break scoreless. A tie means they face Curacao on Sunday in Philadelphia. More to come.

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      • maybe that happens second half, they adjust. we’ll see. I get the unfamiliarity piece to it with all the different players and trainign, etc., but with a half under their belts, that helps too. They are playing hard, we should all love that. I do

  7. One thing we don’t think about as fans, Holden said the ref called the most fouls in the GC so far and gave 7 yellows. That certainly is something the staff was aware of.

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  8. On the lineup (which it would be nice if you actually listed in the intro, by the way, instead of just linking), I wasn’t expecting it either, but I don’t dislike it so far for this game, knock wood.
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    It accomplishes one key thing, which is not risking unnecessary injury to Pulisic and McKennie, and to some extent also Arriola and Bradley. It also gives Morris and Altidore a chance to show that they’re on the way to getting back in form, in practice against better defenders.
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    And it gives a different group of guys the chance to practice in the back, but together, as a defensive unit, without rotating individual people in and out game after game, which has evidently been a problem in the past. I would assume they could even also use these two back lines against each other in training, just to get certain pairs or groups used to playing next to each other, which could be helpful. Especially since all the defenders who are available for this tournament, whether the center backs or the fullbacks and the keepers, are all pretty much competing for the same positions at the same time, without any necessarily standing out as obvious starters over others.
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    That said, let’s see how it works. There are still obvious questions about the midfield, and the guys on Univisión are saying the Panamanian forwards are finding it too easy to get past Miazga, González, and Lovitz.
    .

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    • Yeah good takes I think. I have no problem w the approach. Some of the players are proving they belong in the knockout stage (Morris /Altidore) and guys like Roldan and Mihailovic are proving they don’t. So lessons learned is always a good thing. Result is something I expect though, and a draw (while good enough to win group) sets a poor tone for me

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  9. Morris movement and runs making things happen, like setting things up for the other players there for the Jozy’s miss on that finish try. Morris created space for the play tho notdirectly involved in any touches. He is playing well right now

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  10. Wow, a total squad rotation. I wasn’t expecting that, maybe half. Were any of you? Reading most earlier comments I think I’m in the majority.

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