Mauricio Pochettino faces numerous hurdles as head coach of the US men’s national team, but the most immediate among them on Thursday was the problem Panama has posed for his squad in major continental tournaments.
The US began applying intense high pressure early and often against Panama, but failed to create a consistent attack. Despite creating chances, they couldn’t put them away. A Josh Sargent shot from 12 yards out deflected off the right leg of Panamanian defender Edgardo Fariña and was batted away by goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.
The US also struggled with putting pressure on Panama in areas where they felt they could take advantage. Pochettino expressed this in a blunt manner, stating that the first half “was really painful to see.”
Panama, however, took a different approach. They were hungry and fought for every single ball, which ultimately led to their victory. The team’s midfield pressure was key to their success.
In the 82nd minute, Patrick Agyemang had two late chances to win the game, but they couldn’t capitalize on these opportunities. Weston McKennie began a potential scoring sequence by intercepting a pass, but Agyemang’s shot was deflected over the crossbar.
The US will now play for third place in the first match of Sunday’s double-header against Canada or Mexico in the final round. The team is looking to bounce back from this disappointing loss and find their identity.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/mar/20/usa-panama-nations-league-semifinal-waterman-goal