By Ridge Mahoney
Senior Editor, Soccer America Magazine
The last time the USA traveled to Panama City, Clint Mathis earned a start and Cobi Jones netted a stoppage-time equalizer. Neither player is on the trip this time around, but much else will be the same, including a field expected to be on the wet side of marshy.
Jones scored from a point-blank puddle on a ball Landon Donovan had, in desperation, driven into the goalmouth. The 1-1 result was the most fortunate generated by the Americans in the semifinal round of qualifying, even though it hammered Panama, 6-0, in the return leg.
''That game [was] in a torrential rainstorm and conditions were sloppy, and to their credit, they played very well against us,'' says U.S. coach Bruce Arena. ''They really dominated the second half and we were fortunate to get that goal at the end by Cobi.
''They're clearly a team better at home so it's going to be a tough game and again, when a team's back is to the wall, they're tough to play.''
Arena had fielded an attacking lineup for that match, with Mathis prompting the attacks, but when the desired early goal failed to materialize, Julio Medina and Alberto Zapata overran the U.S. midfield to provide Roberto Brown and Julio Dely Valdes with great opportunities. Sub Ricardo Phillips scored on the rebound of his own shot and keeper Kasey Keller had to bail out his teammates on a few other occasions.
The U.S. plans to again seek an early goal, although Arena hasn't revealed if DaMarcus Beasley will reprise his roaming, third-forward role as was the case against Costa Rica. Yet his mobility and knack for finding slivers of space can be exploited by Brian McBride and Donovan, which would allow the midfield line to move in tandem to support the attack and protect the backs.
Bobby Convey played a hybrid role, of midfielder/defender on the left side, against Costa Rica, with right back Steve Cherundolo mostly sticking to defensive duties.
Last September, once Mathis began to fatigue, Claudio Reyna couldn't hold down the middle, Beasley and Donovan were beaten on the flanks, and the backline came under intense pressure.
''They played a good game against us, but I don't think they can play that well against us again,'' said defender Carlos Bocanegra.
Heat, too, may be a factor, although today's match – like the 1-1 draw played last September – will be played at night. Panama City sits just a few degrees above the equator, so sweltering, humid air in the high 80s/low 90s temperature range is the norm.
With just two points from four games, generated by ties with Mexico (1-1) and Guatemala (0-0) at home, Panama has little use for another deadlock.
''They've got two strikers who can be a handful and they like to be fairly direct to those guys and work for knockdowns,'' says Arena of Brown and Dely Valdes. ''They're fairly athletic and they play better at home although they haven't won at home yet.''
Surreal scenes played out in last year's match. Lightning flashed in the distance as the rains poured down, and the roars from a raucous crowd grew in volume as their players seized control. The din was deafening when Phillips scored, stunned silence greeted Jones' improbable strike.
''The last thing we want to do is open ourselves up early in the game but we certainly know if we get the first goal in that game, they'll struggle,'' says Arena. ''We want to get at them and get a goal as well.''