Gold Cup Final Is Set: US vs Panama

Last night the US over came 30 minutes of sloppy play and a one goal deficit to defeat Honduras 2-1. The US looked like anything but the 6th ranked team in the world for the first 30 minutes last night, capped off by a sloppy pass by Frankie Hejduk that was converted into a goal by Honduras. Had keeper Keller not stopped a point blank shot 1 minute into the game it would have been 2-0, again a Honduran opportunity set up by a mistake by Pope.

After scoring in the 31st minute, Honduras was content to sit back, kill time and hope to milk their one goal for a place in the Gold Cup Final. Heading into the half, both teams had taken 5 shots, but coming out into the second half the US switched to a 3-5-2 formation and came out the aggressors. Out shooting the Catrachos 8-3. John O'Brien tied the match at 1 with a goal in the 86th minute and then just seconds before the end of regulation, in injury time Oguchi Onyewu scored his first ever goal for the national team on a header. The Catrachos were stunned by the dramatic US comeback.

Early in the second half Coach Arena was ejected for protesting call meaning he will be suspended for the final. This was not the first time he has taken issue with the calls of Jamaican referee Peter Prendergast Despite playing in New Jersey, the crowd was clearly pro-Honduran, 80 to 90% of the 41,721 fans in attendance.




Landon Donovan sends free kick over the Honduran wall

In the night cap, Panama shocked Columbia, scoring twice in the first 30 minutes to take a 2-0 lead. Things got worse for the guests from South America when Humberto Mendoza was sent off with a red card. Panama failed to capitalize on the man advantage and early in the second half they too had someone sent off, now it was 10 on 10. Columbia quickly scored to half the lead, but Panama added another. While Columbia would put one more in the net, it wasn't enough and the surprise of the tournament, Panama, won 3-2 and eared a place in the finals versus the US.