USMNT falls to Panama, 1-0, in Concacaf Nations League semifinal

Panama's victory came deep in extra time, when substitute Cecilio Waterman broke through the USMNT defense and shot past Matt Turner in goal. 

He celebrated in style: by vaulting the advertising hoardings and hugging television commentator (and former game-deciding goalscorer himself) Thierry Henry.

It was a measured, intelligent performance from Panama, but a frustrating one from the USMNT that did little to inspire confidence in the team's direction.

This semifinal was the first of of two that evening, coming three hours before Mexico faced off against Canada. And that's exactly how the USMNT looked: like an opening act.

This wasn’t the first USMNT-Panama rematch since the Copa America debacle — the two met in a formulaic friendly in October — but it was the first competitive one, and that lent a sharp edge to proceedings well before a ball was kicked. 

USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino announced his hopes to “destroy” Panama before the game before quickly clarifying that he meant it “in a sport way” while Christian Pulisic advocated for “a little bit of nastiness, a little bit of extra bite.” 

The words were sharp, but they wound up being empty: the USMNT spent much of the opening 20 minutes passing the ball around the base of its own midfield. So much for that extra bite.

Josh Sargent found the back of the net in the first half, but his effort was rightfully ruled out for thanks to Yunus Musah’s offside run when the shot was kicked. 

It was a rare misstep from Musah, who otherwise looked like one of the USMNT’s brightest players on the night. He excelled in his role as Antonee Robinson’s deputy and created most of the USMNT’s best chances from his spot on the flank.

Panama struggled to contain Musah’s runs, but it wasn’t too troubled by the rest of the USMNT’s attack. It defended set pieces calmly — in stark contrast to the USMNT's patented inside-the-box flailing — and always looked dangerous in moments of transition. 

Fullback Jorge Gutierrez rattled the side of Turner’s net in the first half; if he had struck the ball just a bit more cleanly, it would’ve sailed past Turner and into the far corner. When Waterman finally broke the deadlock in extra time, it didn't feel like a shock: it felt like the way things were meant to be.

Panama’s strong, confident performance against the USMNT — and in the Nations League in general — speaks to the changing landscape of Concacaf soccer. Once utterly dominated by Mexico and the United States, the region is now humming with competitive, win-driven teams, like Panama that are capable of surprising the world’s best. 

We’ll see plenty more of this Panama side in the future, and rightfully so: its controlled, rock-solid soccer will likely make it a dark horse in every tournament it enters, up to, and very much including, the 2026 World Cup.

Panama will move on to face the winner Mexico-Canada in the Nations League final on Sunday. The USMNT, meanwhile, will return on Sunday too ... but it will be for the third-place match, taking place a few hours earlier in SoFi Stadium.

It's a fitting end for a team that only ever looked fit to be an opening act.