Football

USA vs. Panama: Preview and betting tips

The U.S. has a chance to clinch a berth to the 2022 World Cup on Monday. Any win will put it in Qatar, but Panama, fighting for a barrier, also needs three points. What to expect from the match?

Published

3 years ago

27. 3. 2022

Eduard Nosek

The U.S. has a chance to clinch a berth to the 2022 World Cup on Monday. Any win will put them in Qatar, but Panama, fighting for a barrier, also needs three points. What to expect from the match?

The USA remains second in the table after a goalless draw in Mexico, not taking advantage of Canada’s unexpected loss to Costa Rica. Any win is enough for the United States to secure promotion, so the motivation is clear.

Panama has taken just one point from the last two rounds and has lost contact with the very top of the table. It is currently fifth, four points behind third-placed Mexico and one point behind fourth-placed Mexico.

The mainstay of the home team is Christian Pulisic, the speedy winger has scored six goals and assisted four times for Chelsea this season. The USA’s strong generation also includes the likes of midfielder Giovanni Reyna from Dortmund and defender Sergio Desta from Barcelona.

If there is one position Panama has secured, it is definitely that of stopper. Andrés Andrade is at Bundesliga side Bielefeld, Michael Muriel is a mainstay at Anderlecht. The vast majority of the rest of the team is based outside Europe.

The US relies on a good defence, with only one goal in the last five games.

That doesn’t play into the hands of Panama, which has scored more than one goal in only one of its last five games.

Given the form of the US defence, I think the home side will take the game, win it and score at least two goals.