The last time the United States and Panama met was the 2011 Gold Cup. The US lost the June 11th group stage game in Tampa Bay 2-1. Trailing from the 19th minute, the US was down two goals after giving up a 36th-minute penalty. Clarence Goodson pulled a goal back in the 68th, but the USA was unable to come up with an equalizer. “You can’t start that way," US midfielder Landon Donovan said. "I think for some reason we were just a little lackadaisical, a little complacent early."
An opportunity to make amends came quickly, with the two teams meeting in the semifinals on June 22nd. Clint Dempsey scored the game's only goal in the 76th minute for the 1-0 win at Houston's Reliant Stadium.
The Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying tells the story of the USA - Panama series, with those tournaments accounting for all of the games they've played. With Panama not attempting to qualify for the World Cup until 1978 and not facing the US until 1993, it's a relatively brief history.
July 14th, 1993 was the first meeting, a Gold Cup Group A game in Dallas that the US won 2-1. After falling behind in the 33rd minute, Eric Wynalda leveled the score in the 69th minute and Thomas Dooley got the winner in the 74th. The US advanced as group winners with Panama finishing fourth.
It would be over 11 years before they met again, home and away as part of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Traveling to Panama for the first time, the US drew 1-1 on September 9th, 2004. The US won 6-0 at RFK Stadium on October 13th, the famous game where Eddie Johnson subbed on and scored three goals.
Both teams advanced to the next round of qualifying from Group 1, but their rematch came earlier than expected in an unlikely 2005 Gold Cup final. Playing through a bracket stacked with Mexico and guest teams Colombia and South Africa, it was Panama advancing to the final to face the USA on July 24th, 2005. That game ended scoreless, with the United States lifting the Gold Cup on penalties.
Returning to qualifying, the two teams met on June 8th, 2005 in Panama City with the US shutting out Panama 3-0. Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, and Brian McBride scored in that game, with Kasey Keller recording the shutout. They played again on October 12th in Foxboro, with Kyle Martino and Taylor Twellman doing the damage in a 2-0 USA win.
Gold Cup again for a June 16th, 2007 game in Foxboro and a 2-1 USA quarterfinal win. Bocanegra and Donovan scored in that game. The 2009 Gold Cup also saw the USA play Panama, this time in Philadelphia on July 18th. Once again, it was the USA advancing with a 2-1 quarterfinal win. This time, it took an extra time winner from Kenny Cooper, converting from the penalty spot in the 106th minute.
