In his first tournament under the command of Mauricio Pochettino, The United States saw its hegemony in the Concacaf Nations League, in which he had won the previous three editions.
Waterman’s goal, with a powerful left -footed shot after assistance from Adalberto Carrasquilla, He left ice cream to the American bank and the few local fans in the stands of the Sofi Stadium.
This defeat is a jug of cold water for Pochettino, which had one of his few opportunities in this tournament To prepare the 2026 World Cup that the United States will stay with Mexico and Canada.
The Argentine coach confirmed the work ahead to form a competitive squad and the worrying lack of goal of his strikers.
Panama barely generated danger in the American area but took its opportunity to become the first Central American finalist of this tournament.
Henry hug
The clash started with few spectators in the stands of the new Sofi Stadium, The home of the Rams and Chargers of the American Football League (NFL).
Pochettino, who is still looking for its front center, He did not have at his disposal to Folarin Balogun or Ricardo Pepi and was resting for giving Josh Sargent another chance.
Panama 🇵🇦 became the first selection of history to eliminate the United States 🇺🇸 in a Concacaf Nations League. It was in the minute … 93 ‘! For this goal by Cecilio Waterman. For the first time he accessed the final of the contest. Total madness. pic.twitter.com/f0ki12husw
– vsports team (@vsportstm) March 21, 2025
The Norwich City ram was the protagonist of the few danger actions of the first half.
In the clearest of them, the ram shot the post after a good action of Christian Pulisic at 20 minutes of play.
Four later, Sargent finished off the networks a ball that was loose in the area after a weah center but the goal was invalidated offside.
On the other side, Panama awaited its moment to the backlash and He only lurked with some long service of his figure Adalberto Carrasquilla to the race of the striker José Fajardo.
The locals exhibited the same lack of ideas in the second part. The public had to wait until the 82nd minute for a first arrival with danger, In a robbery of McKennie in the midfield and his filtered pass to the newly entered Patrick Aubameyang.
Charlotte FC striker won the position Defender Carlos Harvey but Mosquera guessed the intention in the cross shot.
Five minutes later, Aubameyang himself forgive with a bite auction after a boarding school on the right of Pulisic.
When the entire stadium waited for the extension, the local defense allowed Carrasquilla to open the ball to the right beak of the area for Waterman, who surprised goalkeeper Matt Turner with a fulminating cross shot.
With his teammates celebrating in the field, Waterman jumped the fence and hugged former French star Thierry Henry, who was on the field as a television commentator.