An own goal was enough for Costa Rica to defeat Panama on Wednesday evening in Philadelphia and qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.
Panamanian Captain Aníbal Godoy tried to clear a free kick from Tico midfielder David Guzmán. Instead, he sent the ball inside his own goal at the 77th minute.
The result allows La Sele to advance to the semifinals where they will face the U.S. team that, later on Wednesday, beat El Salvador 2-0.
La Sele and the United States will play on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the ATT Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for a spot in the final.
The other semifinalists will be the winners of Thursday’s matches between current champion Mexico against Honduras, and Jamaica against Canada. Both matches will take place in Glendale, Arizona.
Costa Rica 1 – 0 Panama
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Referee: Oscar Moncada (Honduras)
Goal:
Costa Rica: Aníbal Godoy (77 ‘, own goal)
Yellow Cards:
Costa Rica: David Ramírez (21′)
Panama: Aníbal Godoy (74′)
Lineups:
Costa Rica: Patrick Pemberton – José Salvatierra, Giancarlo González, Kendall Watson, Johnny Acosta – David Guzmán, Bryan Ruiz, Francisco Calvo, Yeltsin Tejeda (Kenner Gutiérrez, 85′) – Marco Ureña and David Ramírez (Ariel Rodríguez, 64′-Ulises Segura, 77′). Coach: Oscar Ramírez.
Panama: José Calderón – Michael Murillo, Fidel Escobar, Roberto Chen, Luis Ovalle – Armando Cooper (Abdiel Arroyo, 57′), Gabriel Gómez (Leslie Heraldez, 67′), Aníbal Godoy, Edgar Bárcenas, Miguel Camargo (Valentín Pimentel, 69′) – Gabriel Torres. Coach: Hernán Gómez.
Match highlights:
https://www.facebook.com/goldcup/videos/1091613237607261/
