PHILADELPHIA, PA (Jul 18, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The United States needed an over-time penalty from Kenny Cooper for the 2-1 Quarterfinal win over Panama, setting up a Group B rematch with Honduras in the 2009 Gold Cup semifinals. The USA came back against a Panama squad that required the best of their defense on Saturday night in front of 31,087 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Field. Once again, the US started a mostly Major League Soccer eleven, reworking the lineup as more players left the squad for the start of preseason training with their European clubs.
Led by captain Jimmy Conrad and center back Chad Marshall, the USA held up under pressure for most of the first half. After Brian Ching hit the frame in the 8th minute, the United States settled and began to absorb Panama's attack. They almost got out of the opening '45 scoreless. Blas Perez played cleanup in front of the US goal made it 1-0 Panama in first-half stoppage time. The US also lost Conrad, who suffered a concussion as the half came to an end. He would be taken to the hospital as a precaution.
With the US pressing in the second, Kyle Beckerman brought the US even in the 49th minute. "I went and gambled a little bit, thinking 'get to the top of the box and this might pop out,'" Beckerman said. Sometimes you gamble and the ball just finds your foot."
With Panama now feeling the bulk of the pressure, the USA couldn't get the deciding goal in regulation.
In the 14th minute of the first-half of overtime, Kenny Cooper was fouled at the top of the area. Cooper converted the penalty, and that goal held for the US win. Cooper came close to making it 3-1 late in the second over-time, but his shot from just inside the box went over the bar.
"We had certain ideas of what this game would be like," Bradley said. "They're a physical team... they're a direct team. We just needed to... make sure everybody understood that we couldn't lose track of what we were going to try to do in the game."
The United States will play early game winners Honduras in the semifinals in Chicago on July 23rd.
Match: United States vs. Panama
Date: July 18, 2009
Competition: CONCACAF Gold Cup – Quarterfinal
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Attendance: 31,087
Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees
Scoring Summary:
1 2 1OT 2OT F
USA 0 1 1 0 2
PAN 1 0 0 0 1
PAN – Blas Perez 46+ minute
USA – Kyle Beckerman (Davy Arnaud) 49
USA – Kenny Cooper (penalty kick) 105
Lineups:
USA: 1-Troy Perkins; 16-Jay Heaps, 4-Chad Marshall, 12-Jimmy Conrad (capt.) (3-Clarence Goodson, 46+), 2-Heath Pearce; 10-Stuart Holden, 8-Logan Pause, 5-Kyle Beckerman, 7-Robbie Rogers (21-Brad Evans, 110); 11-Brian Ching, 22-Davy Arnaud (17-Kenny Cooper, 77)
Subs not used: 13-Colin Clark, 15-Sam Cronin, 18-Luis Robles, 20-Santino Quaranta
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
PAN: 1-Jaime Penedo; 5-Roman Torres, 23-Felipe Baloy (capt ), 14-Armando Gun; 3-Luis Moreno, 6-Gabriel Gomez, 16-Manuel Torres, 20-Rolando Escobar (15-Ricardo Phillips, 78), 10-Nelson Barahona (11-Victor Herrera, 96); 9-Jose Luis Garces, 7-Blas Perez
Subs not used: 2-Carlos Rivera; 8-Alberto Blanco, 12-Oscar McFarlane, 18-Luis Tejada, 21-Amilcar Henriquez
Head Coach: Gary Stempel
Stats Summary: USA / PAN
Shots: 16 / 3
Shots on Goal: 6 / 1
Saves: 0 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 2
Fouls: 19 / 20
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Jimmy Conrad (caution) 11th minute
PAN – Blas Perez (caution) 25
PAN - Felipe Baloy (caution) 63
PAN – Ramon Torres (caution) 104
PAN – Felipe Baloy (sent off) 120
PAN - Blas Perez (caution) 120
PAN - Blas Perez (sent off) 120
Officials:
Referee: Benito Archundia (MEX)
Assistant Referee 1: Hector Delgadillo (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Luis Camargo (MEX)
Fourth Official: Walter Quesada (CRC)
