PREVIEW – Canada v Panama will be the only friendly for the CANMNT in October, as they had training camp in Montreal, Quebec, before playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this year at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. This is while Panama had played against the USMNT in the U.S a few days prior.
Penalties will count as draws for both teams.
Canada v Panama: A Battle in the FIFA and Concacaf Rankings
CANMNT (1-4-1)
The CANMNT has had a very positive year this year after just missing out on the podium in the 2024 Copa América competition. They were then able to get two results in the U.S. against the two traditional Concacaf giants, Mexico and the U.S. They had a scoreless draw against Mexico, and made history against the U.S., winning on U.S. soil against a U.S. team for the first time since 1958.
This is what Marsch said after beating the U.S. for the first time in 67 years (Source: The Canadian Press):
“We were on the front foot the whole match,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch. “We were strong. We were committed and [they] made me proud. Made me proud to be their coach, that’s for sure.”
He also said this later on Zoom on the importance of the Panama game and the benefit of winning against the U.S. (Source: OneSoccer YouTube Account):
Because of this, Canada is now ranked 38th in the world in the FIFA rankings. A win against Panama, which is currently ranked 37th in the world, could mean Canada leapfrogging Panama in the FIFA rankings. More importantly, Canada is ranked second of all Concacaf teams in the Concacaf rankings, with a win against Panama meaning that Canada is likely facing an easier opponent in the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League competition that will start in November. As of September 30, Canada is second and Panama third in the Concacaf rankings, but that might have changed after the U.S. defeated Panama on Saturday.
Canada also had a friendly against CF Montréal behind closed doors and won 5-0 according to Neil Davidson of CBC.
Panama (2-0-3)
Panama, like Canada, had a successful 2024 Copa América campaign. This included winning key matches in the U.S. against Bolivia, and especially the U.S. They would end up losing in the quarter-finals stage of the CONMEBOL Copa América tournament by losing to Colombia by a scoreline of 5-0.
This is what Panama head coach, Thomas Christiansen, said about the win over the U.S. in the Copa América tournament (Source: Associated Press):
“I’m super happy with the victory,” Panama coach Thomas Christiansen said. “I think it’s also well deserved, because we have read the game rightly. Even though they were missing a player for a long time, you had to score the goals to win this game. And when the score was 1-0, the situation was complicated, even if you played with one more, with the quality that the United States has shown.”
Unfortunately, for Panama, the U.S. got their revenge in a friendly on Saturday, as Panama, nicknamed the Los Canaleros, recently lost to the U.S. by a scoreline of 2-0.
Players to Watch for Both Teams
For Panama, there are a few players to watch out for, more on the defensive end of the ball. One player to look at is Adalberto Carrasquilla. The midfielder for the Houston Dynamo, has made 59 appearances and has scored two goals within that time. They also have defensive midfielder, Aníbal Godoy, who played 141 games and scored two goals.
It will be interesting to see how well Godoy will play against Canada as he was injured and did not play in the 2024 Copa América competition.
This is what Houston Dynamos General Manager, Pat Onstad, said about Godoy after signing him to a contract extension (Source: Houston Dynamo):
“Coco is an exceptional talent, who is garnering significant international attention for his performances for both club and country over the past couple years,” said Houston Dynamo General Manager Pat Onstad. “Extending Coco’s deal was a priority for us this offseason, as he is an integral part of one of the best midfields in the league and a key contributor to our recent success. We are happy for Coco to commit to a new deal as we build upon the strong foundation set last year.”
As for the CANMNT, Jonathan David is the first player to outline. He recently played a big role as he scored a lone goal against Real Madrid in a 1-0 win in the UEFA Champions League.
READ MORE: 2024 CANMNT October Roster: Kwasi Poku Makes the Roster
There is also a bit of a gold rush happening in the Ligue 1 league with five players from Canada playing in the Ligue 1 competition. Unfortunately, Ismael Kone will not play against Panama because of a leg injury. However, the other four players are on the roster with the national team against Panama on Tuesday night.
Head-to-Head
These games have been hotly contested between both teams. The team at home generally has won the game against the other team. The last time both teams met each other was in the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals stage (in the semi-finals). In that game, Canada defeated Panama 2-0. They have also faced other twice in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, where both teams were able to win at home.
The last time Panama played in Canada at BMO Field though, they lost 4-1, with Alphonso Davies playing a big role in the result.
How To Watch the Game
The CanMNT will face Panama on Tuesday at 7:30pm ET. This game will take place at BMO Field, and it will be shown live on OneSoccer on October 15.
Also, to note, the U.S. will play on the road against Mexico on October 15, as well as the rest of the games that will be played in the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League group stage on October 15.
Photo Credit: Canada Soccer EN X Account and the Canada Soccer FR Account on June 25, 2024.
