Adalberto Carrasquilla (R) scored the game-winning goal, ending a penalty kick session and leading Panama of the United States in a Gold Cup soccer semifinal Wednesday in San Diego. Photo by Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE
July 13 (UPI) — The United States Men’s National Team failed to advance to the Gold Cup final for just the second time in the last 10 editions of the soccer tournament, losing in penalty kicks to Panama in a semifinal in San Diego.
Panamanian midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla beat goalie Matt Turner with a shot into the left side of the net to complete the 5-4 penalty win Wednesday at Snapdragon Stadium.
“We fought so hard,” Turner told reporters. “We did everything in our power to get ourselves ready for this game.
“We hung in there. We made some bad plays, made some good plays, but at the end of the day, it came down to a penalty shootout.”
Panama will face Mexico in the Gold Cup final Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Mexico beat Jamaica 3-0 in the other semifinal Wednesday in Las Vegas.
“Our desire and will made Panama go to the final,” Panama manager Thomas Christiansen said.
Neither team scored through the first 90 minutes of regulation in the USA-Panama game. Right wing Yoel Barcenas found the net in the 28th minute, but the Panama score was disallowed because of an offside call.
Both teams threatened with close shots throughout the remainder of the match before Panama again appeared to go ahead in stoppage time.
But that 93rd minute goal by forward Ismael Diaz also was removed from the scoreboard because of an offside call.
Panama defender Ivan Anderson finally broke the deadlock in the first half of extra time.
Carrasquilla threaded a long pass from midfield up the right flank to spark that score. Anderson ran onto the feed and tapped the ball around an incoming Turner at the right corner of the box.
He finished the play with an easy shot into the vacant net in the 99th minute.
But U.S. striker Jesus Ferreira equalized about six minutes later, beating Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera in the 105th minute.
Fellow forward Jordan Morris assisted that goal. Defender Matt Miazga fired a long feed from the left flank near midfield to start the sequence.
The ball fell to the top of the box. Morris out-jumped the Panama defense for a header, which went toward an isolated Ferreira. The star striker then used his right foot to blast a volley into the right side of the net, beating a diving Mosquera.
Neither squad could find the net in the second 15-minute half of extra time.
Mosquera completed a diving save of a Ferreira attempt to start the penalty session. Panama defender Fidel Escobar then blasted a shot up the middle for a 1-0 edge.
American Djordje Mihailovic and Panama’s Ismael Diaz each made their attempts in the next round.
Morris beat Mosquera into the top corner on the next attempt. Turner then saved a shot by Panama’s Cristian Martinez, tying the penalty session for the Americans.
Julian Gressel and Miazga each made the next two U.S. attempts, but Barcenas and Panama teammate Cecilio Waterman also netted successful penalties.
Mosquera saved the Americans’ final attempt, taken by Cristian Roldan. Carrasquilla then smacked a shot into the left corner, beating Turner and sending Panama to the finale.
Panama will face Mexico in the Gold Cup final at 7:30 p.m. EDT Sunday on Fox. Mexico will look to increase its record total of eight titles at the tournament. Panama, who lost to the Americans in the 2005 final, will attempt to win its first title.
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