Panama fined, players suspended over Gold Cup uproar

Not that has ever kept a coach from losing his job.

“Give Panama credit, they played better than we did today from top to bottom”, Beasley said.

USA boss Jurgen Klinsmann had said all summer long that his goal for this year was to win the Gold Cup so that his team could avoid a playoff for a Confederations Cup spot. Mattocks, with his back to the goal and sandwiched between defenders Ventura Alvarado and John Brooks, leaped up for a dazzling header that caught the underside of the crossbar, out of a leaping Guzan’s reach, and dropped beyond the goal line.

The United States finds itself outside the final for the first time since 2003, constituting a major dip in the program’s roller-coaster form in 2015, relegated to the consolation game by a 2-1 loss to upstart Jamaica in Wednesday’s semifinal. “For me it’s just about putting Jamaica back on the map as it’s a massive sporting country, and down the road we should be qualifying for the World Cup”.

Not exactly what you would expect from a CONCACAF power.

“Enormous, enormous talent” is how he described the two.

“It seems that everything is bad”, Herrera said. But when it came to his senior year, there was no doubt that he would be the focal point of FIU’s Men’s Soccer Team’s defense. These teams are simply not up to the standard of the best in Europe and South America, and pro athletes or not, it is human nature that complacency occurs.

Several players exchanged shoves after a midfield foul about halfway into the first extra 15-minute period, a flurry that sparked yellow cards for Panama’s Anibal Godoy and Americans Yedlin and Tim Chandler. Then in Wednesday’s semifinals, Panama led 1-0 when it was called for a hand ball in the box. For pushing an official, Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo received just a two-game ban – and frustrated teammates who charged and threatened Geiger received no punishment.

USA captain Michael Bradley was fined an undisclosed amount of money by the CONCACAF Gold Cup disciplinary committee.

In the Panamanians’ latest criticism of CONCACAF, the federation’s president, Pedro Chaluja, told reporters earlier Friday that “we feel that that game was fixed”.

Fans that are not new to the game do not question that, nor do they waste energy in an attempt to vilify human error, as it occurs season to season, and tournament after tournament.

Coach Hernan Gomez said Chaluja’s reaction was “human nature” but wouldn’t add to the criticism, saying “rules are rules”. After all, instead of practicing yesterday Panama decided to play kickball (not a joke!).

Klinsmann also said DaMarcus Beasley will feature in the second-half. He picked up a calf injury in his first training session that has confined him to the bench. Jamaica were excellent in the first half of the game and thoroughly deserved their win.

Buenos Aires, July 24 (IANS) Argentina football legend Diego Maradona has voiced his support for Panama demanding replay of the Gold Cup semi-final where they were ousted by Mexico in controversial circumstances.