Panama defeated the United States 2-1 in a dramatic Group C match of the 2024 Copa América. The U.S. now faces a tough challenge to avoid elimination from the tournament they are hosting.
The game took a critical turn in the 18th minute when Tim Weah was shown a red card for shoving a Panama player in the head. Despite being a man down, Folarin Balogun put the U.S. ahead in the 22nd minute with a beautiful strike. However, Panama quickly equalized through César Blackman in the 26th minute.
The match remained tense until the 83rd minute when José Fajardo scored the winning goal for Panama. The U.S. team, despite a valiant effort, couldn’t find an equalizer.
Weah issued a public apology on social media, acknowledging his mistake and expressing regret for letting his team down. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter criticized Weah’s decision, calling it “silly” and costly for the team.
The U.S. now needs a win against Group C favorite Uruguay on Monday to advance to the knockout stage. The path to qualification is complex and depends on other results in the group.
The loss has sparked questions about Berhalter’s future as the team’s coach, especially with the 2026 World Cup approaching. The U.S. will need to regroup and deliver a strong performance against Uruguay to keep their Copa América hopes alive.
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