FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The United States advanced to face Canada in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Panama at Gillette Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Landon Donovan converted from the penalty spot in the 60th minute after he was hauled down by Carlos Rivera before Carlos Bocanegra doubled the lead two minutes later from a DaMarcus Beasley free kick. Blas Perez fired home a consolation goal for Panama in the 84th minute.
The Americans had a pair of chances in the early stages to open the scoring. Donovan was played behind the Panamanian defense after just two minutes, but the American midfielder's tame shot was saved by the onrushing Jaime Penedo. Clint Dempsey played Taylor Twellman in over the top of the Panamanian defense in the ninth minute. Twellman took the first touch well, but his left-footed effort skimmed off the outside of the left post and out of play.
Donovan spurned a guilt-edged chance in the 19th minute. Frankie Hedjuk headed a Panamanian corner out of his penalty area to start the counterattack. Beasley picked up the clearing header and played a one-two with Donovan before springing Donovan into the Panamanian half on a breakaway. Donovan was indecisive as to when to shoot and allowed Penedo to get over to his near post effort.
Panama created its first chance in the 32nd minute. Perez had time to turn on the edge of the box and created a half-chance, but his sliding effort was just wide of Tim Howard's right post.
Felipe Baloy nearly profited from another Panamanian chance on 40 minutes. Victor Herrara flighted in a free kick onto the sliding Baloy's foot, but he couldn't make the necessary contact to divert the ball past Howard.
Perez could not capitalize on the first chance of the second stanza in the 48th minute. Herrera played the ball in from the left hand flank on to the run of Perez. Howard came off his line and blocked Perez's shot away from danger with his legs. Perez then sent a header from a Ricardo Phillips cross just over the bar in the 56th minute.
Against the run of the play, the Americans earned themselves a penalty and the lead. Dempsey played Donovan in behind the defense. Rivera tackled Donovan to the ground, resulting in the whistle from referee Neil Brizan. Donovan dusted himself off and calmly slotted home past Penedo in the 60th minute for his second goal from the spot in the tournament.
Two minutes later, the Americans doubled their lead. After Twellman earned a free kick on the right side of the penalty area, Beasley flighted in a free kick that an unmarked Carlos Bocanegra smashed home with his head from five yards.
It only got worse for Panama in the 76th minute as Manuel Torres clipped Dempsey from behind to earn his second yellow and an ejection from the contest.
It should have been three for the U.S. in the 82nd minute as Jonathan Bornstein played Donovan in past the Panamanian defense. Donovan passed the ball square to an open Dempsey 10 yards from goal, but he fiddled with the ball and had it poked away from him by Juan Perez and into the arms of Penedo.
Perez finally converted to bring Panama within one in the 84th minute after Frankie Hedjuk, Steve Ralston and Oguchi Onyewu got mixed up at the top of the penalty area. Perez poked the ball through that group of three players and lashed home, but Panama could not find the tying goal.
Miller Lite Player of the Match: Landon Donovan (USA)
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
