Panama vs United States

Mercedes-Benz Stadium forms the backdrop for an exciting Copa America 2024 showdown between familiar foes Panama and the United States.

To Panama’s credit, they fared impressively against Uruguay before the two goals conceded beyond the 80th minute condemned them to a 3-1 defeat in their Copa America opener. Los Canaleros head to Atlanta in desperate need of points to increase their chances of progressing from the group stages in their second-ever tournament appearance. The only previous time they featured at Copa, Panama exited the group stages with two losses (W1). Beating the United States is no small feat for Thomas Christiansen’s side, especially considering their disastrous H2H record (W4, D4, L18). However, two of those four victories have come in their last three encounters (L1), most recently in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals 12 months ago. That time, they needed a penalty shootout to beat the Copa America host nation following a 0-0 draw in regulation.

Since that’s Panama’s only scoreless outing in more than two years, fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium can expect another enthralling affair, as was the United States’ Group C curtain-raiser against Bolivia. Two unanswered first-half goals inspired Gregg Berhalter’s side to a landslide 2-0 victory, putting them in pole position to reach the Copa America knockouts for the third time in their fifth appearance. The Stars and Stripes had to settle for a fourth-place finish the only previous time they hosted the tournament, but their ambitions for this summer’s competition are loftier. Berhalter’s men come into proceedings as pre-match favorites having lost only once in their last five games (W3, D1), though they’ve recently blown hot and cold on home soil (W3, D1, L2).