Key Stats & Insights
- Panama played Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in their first game of the tournament.
- Both teams have scored in three of the USA’s last five fixtures.
- The USA has won 19 of their previous 27 games against Panama.
- USA played Bolivia in their Copa America opener, securing a 2-0 win.
Game Preview
USA
United States goalkeeper Matt Turner has urged fans of the Copa America hosts not to forget the value of results ahead of Thursday’s clash with Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The USA got their Group C campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over Bolivia, with Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun on target. Some believed Gregg Berhalter’s side should have recorded a more comprehensive victory as they racked up 20 shots on goal to Bolivia’s six.
Panama
Panama were always going to be the huge outsiders when they took on Uruguay on matchday one, where they fell behind in the 16th minute. However, the Central American minnows held firm until the latter stages of this encounter when Uruguay doubled their advantage five minutes from time and made it 3-0 in stoppage time. Panama did pull a goal back through defender Amir Murillo in the 95th minute, but it was no more than a consolation.
Team Form and Performance
Panama: DLWWLL
Panama will be looking to improve on their last outing following the 3-1 Copa America loss against Uruguay. In that match, Panama had 45% possession and 10 shots on goal with 3 on target. Amir Murillo was the lone scorer for Panama. Despite recent scorelines, Panama has shown some defensive resilience, conceding only four goals in their last six games.
USA: LWLLDW
The United States come into this encounter after a 2-0 Copa America win against Bolivia in their most recent match. In that match, the USA managed 61% possession and 20 shots on goal with 8 on target. Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun were the scorers. The USA has an average of 1.5 goals per game over their last six matches.
Head-to-Head Records
The last meeting between these teams took place a year ago in San Diego at the Snapdragon Stadium, ending in a 1-1 draw. Panama has won 2 out of the last 3 games against the USA. However, the USA has scored six goals in total over these three games, compared to Panama’s three.
Player Form and Availability
Panama (predicted lineup):
Orlando Mosquera, Edgardo Farina, Jose Cordoba, Roderick Miller, Michael Murillo, Eric Davis, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Jovani Welch, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Edgar Barcenas, Jose Fajardo.
USA (predicted lineup):
Matt Turner, Joseph Scally, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Giovanni Reyna, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic.
Market Analysis (Odds)
- USA is favored to win at odds of 1.40, implying a 71% chance of victory.
- Panama is considered the least likely to win with odds of 8.50.
- Over 2.5 Goals and Under 2.5 Goals have similar odds, making it a balanced market.
- Odds of 1.67 suggest that both teams are unlikely to score.
- In the Draw No Bet market, Panama is at 5.50 and USA at 1.14.
Predictions
Panama is expected to create some scoring opportunities against the USA, but one goal might not be enough to secure a win. A tight encounter is anticipated, with a 2-1 advantage for the USA being the likely outcome. Betting on Over 2.5 Goals at odds of 1.80 is a reasonable prediction for this match.