Panama Back-to-Back Wins in Austin, Texas Send Canaleros to Gold Cup Quarterfinals
Austin, Texas – The Canaleros made Q2 Stadium their fortress.
In a span of five days, Panama claimed back-to-back victories in Austin, defeating both Guatemala & Jamaica. Their dominant performances not only earned them first place in Group C of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, but reinforced their consistency and cohesion as a team, placing them in strong form ahead of their upcoming quarterfinals clash against Honduras on Sunday June 29th, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Guatemala 0–1 Panama
On Friday, June 20, Q2 Stadium buzzed with energy as waves of Guatemalan fans showed in the stands as technically on paper their National Team was playing at home. Despite the crowd, Panama showed grit and tactical maturity, defeating Guatemala 1-0 in a tense match.
Ricardo Contreras Plaza - Otra X Favor
The game opened with Guatemala firing the first shot in under a minute, but Panama quickly gained control, creating several early chances. The breakthrough came in the 18th minute, when Tomas Rodríguez connected on a cross to score the game’s only winning goal, confirmed shortly after a brief VAR review.
While Guatemala battled Panama’s forcefulness and came close through Oscar Santis, their frustration mounted, culminating in a yellow card to Stheven Robles in 38th minute after a reckless kick toward Panama’s bench. Los Canaleros maintained composure, controlling possession, and applying disciplined pressure throughout.
The second half saw Guatemala attempt to reset, but Panama’s midfield, anchored by Cristian Martinez and Anibal Godoy, absorbed the pressure and limited clear chances. A late push by Guatemala in stoppage fizzled out, and Panama walked away with their first win in Austin.
Ricardo Contreras Plaza
Panama 4-1 Jamaica
On Tuesday June 24th, Panama returned to Q2 Stadium for the final stage match, this time as a home team against Jamaica. Unlike Friday’s attendance, this matchup drew fewer fans due to its earlier kickoff time, but that didn’t stop Panama from staying focused to secure their second win.
Ricardo Contreras Plaza - Otra X Favor
From the outset, Ismael Díaz lit up the pitch in the 4th minute, he opened the scoring with a shot outside of the box, only for Jamaica to respond almost immediately. But Díaz wasn’t done. He struck again in the 17th minute, exploiting Jamaica’s gaps in defensive line with clinical precision to make the game 2-0.
Jamaica scored in 26th minute to narrow the gap with a well-worked cross from Dexter Lembikisa to Amari'i Bell. As the match tightened as Jamaica grew into the game, in the 44th minute Díaz completed his hat trick via penalty after shirt pull inside the box. Just before halftime, Jamaica nearly earned a penalty of their own, but a VAR review in stoppage time confirmed an earlier offside.
The second half slowed in tempo as both teams searched for rhythm. Jamaica pushed forward but Panama held firm, waiting patiently to capitalize on an error. In the 89th minute, that moment arrived, a defensive error by Jamaica’s Ethan Pinnock gifted Tomas Rodriguez a clean run at goal, sealing a 4-1 victory for Panama.
What’s next in 2025 Gold Cup Knockout Stage?
After the completion of the group stage, the quarterfinals of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the following matchups:
Saturday, June 28 – State Farm Stadium
6:15 PM: Panama vs. Honduras
9:15 PM: Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia
Sunday, June 29 – U.S. Bank Stadium
3:00 PM: Canada vs. Guatemala
6:00 PM: USA vs. Costa Rica
The semifinals will be held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025:
The winner of USA vs. Costa Rica will face the winner of Canada vs. Guatemala at Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri.
The winner of Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia will play the winner of Panama vs. Honduras at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Gold Cup Final is scheduled for Sunday, July 6, 2025, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas and marking the first time the state of Texas will host a Gold Cup final.
