Panama earned a spot in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals in grand fashion, defeating South Africa in penalty kicks 5:3 after playing to a 1-1 draw following two 15-minute overtime periods. Panama will face Colombia on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET at Giants Stadium in New Jersey for a pass to the finals.
Panama's Jorge Luis Dely Valdes opened the scoring in the 48th minute when he collected a through ball from Luis Tejada and dribbled around South African goalkeeper Cavin Marlin for the score.
South Africa came even in the second half with a 68th minute goal by Lungisani Ndlela's, who kicked in a lose ball in the box.
Each team had several shots on goal in overtime, but the ball never saw the back of the net. In the penalty kick shootout the teams traded goals until Panama's goalkeeper Jaime Penedo rose to the occasion and dove right so make a one-handed save on Ricardo Katza's shot to give Panama the lead. With a 4-3 edge, Gabriel Gomez sealed the deal when he casually chipped a shot over a diving Martin into the upper right corner.
Miller Lite Man of the Match: Jorge Luis Dely Valdes
SOUTH AFRICA - PANAMA 1:1 (0:0) (1:1) 3:5 pen
PAN- Dely Valdes (Tejada) 48'
Tejada (G), Rodríguez (G), Baloy (G), Blanco (G), Gomez (G).
RSA- Ndlela 68'
Evans (G), Gaxa (G), Katza (S), Lekgwathi (G)
RSA: 1-Calvin Marlin, 2-Lucky Lekgwathi, 3-Lucas Thwala, 4-Philip Evans, 5-Ricardo Katza, 6-Slboniso Gaxa, 7-Daine Klate (17-Reagan Noble 82'), 11-Elrio Van Heerden (18-Abram Raselelmane 66'), 13-Solace Nkosi, 14-Siyabanga Nomvete (12-Stanley Kgatle 118') , 19-Lungisani Ndlela.
TD: Stuart Baxter (ENG)
PAN: 1-Jaime Penedo, 2-Carlos Rivera, 4-Jose Anthony Torres, 5-Felipe Baloy, 6-Gabriel Gomez, 7-Jorge Luis Dely Valdes (19-Gustavo Avila 105'), 8-Alberto Blanco, 15-Ricardo Phillips, 16-Ubaldo Gustavo Guardia (14-Roman Torres 100'), 17-Luis Alfonso Henriquez (21-Angel Luis Henriquez 99'), 18-Luis Tejada.
TD: Jose Hernandez (COL)
Booked /Amonestado:
RSA - Thwala 34', Noble 94'
Sent off / Expulsado:
None
R: Peter Prendergast (JAM)
A1: Anthony Garwood (JAM)
A2: Joseph Taylor (TRI)
FO: Kevin Stott (USA)
