Panama are more Wimbledon 1980 than Brazil 1970
Northern Ireland drew 0-0 with Panama in the Central Americans’ World Cup warm-up last month. Here’s my lowdown on England’s next opponents
Gareth Southgate and Steve holland will have been studying Panama before the tournament — the analysis won’t just have begun after Monday’s games.
What they will have seen in Panama is:athleticism, defensive shape, midfield experience but a lack of goal threat, which was reinforced in the Belgium game. Panama may not have the ability to beat england, but they have capacity to frustrate them.
Belgium discovered this. that cliche about goals changing games is true. It took a great piece of composed skill from Dries Mertens to unlock Panama on Monday and but for that, who knows how the game might have unfolded?
Certainly the momentum Panama had from the first half, when they stifled Belgian creativity, was lost after Mertens’ goal. had his volley skidded wide, Panama could have held on for another 15 to 20 minutes, their confidence would have grown and Belgium’s players would have been asking questions of themselves.
But Mertens’ goal meant that Panama had to change their approach, which made space and romelu Lukaku ran into it.
Before Mertens’ goal, Panama were the side Northern Ireland saw up close in Panama City three weeks ago. they are an interesting team in that they don’t possess the traits we normally associate with Latin american countries:possession, a No 10 playmaker, rotation of position and flair.
What Panama do have is physicality, directness and a useful counter- attack. they are not exactly 1980s Wimbledon but they are closer to that than Brazil 1970.
they have vast experience — the midfield three of anibal Godoy, Gabriel Gomez and armando Cooper have 330 caps between them. Godoy is the youngest of them at 28, the others are among five players over 30 who started against Belgium.
they retained their shape throughout and made it difficult for Belgium, who attacked through the middle in the first half.
I would expect england to look at that and try to get width into the game on Sunday.
the Panama manager, hernan Dario Gomez, spoke anxiously before the tournament about the faster pace of european football. Marcus rashford and Jesse Lingard pushing up either side of harry Kane would worry Panama.
that would mean ruben Loftus-Cheek could drop into midfield, which would create problems for Panama. Last month we noticed that centre half roman torres gets drawn to his man. any english attacker dropping deep may therefore create space behind and down the side of torres.
remember, this team lost 6-0 to Switzerland in March and if you look at the goals, torres is out of position. he gets dragged into midfield.
that result will not be at the forefront of Panama’s thoughts but neither will it be forgotten.
another question for england is whether they need a back three. Panama will play one up front, 37-year- old Blas Perez, who can only do so much work.
Belgium’s defenders had lots of possession but did little with it. there is not much point in harry Maguire and John Stones simply passing the ball to each other, as Dedryck Boyata showed in Monday’s match.
What attacking menace Panama have comes from the flanks. edgar Barcenas is quick and hit the crossbar against us. Jose rodriguez was a teenager making his debut. he has potential.
One other Panamanian threat worth considering comes from adolfo Machado. he was on the bench on Monday but he is a burly centre half who can play at right back — and in my opinion he is a better defender than Michael Murillo.
What Machado also has is a booming long throw. against us he took throw-ins from both sides of the pitch and as he did, the crowd noise grew; there was expectancy. It was via a 30-yard Machado throw that Panama equalised against the United States in qualification. Bearing in mind what happened to england against Iceland in the 2016 european Championship with aron Gunnarsson’s long throws, Machado’s is worth noting.
If Panama lose on Sunday, they will be out. In one sense it is all or nothing for them. But the coach will not be thinking like that. as with all small nations he will be trying to contrive a way to win.
I cannot see them being disheartened at kick- off. their achievement is being in russia and they will remember that.
When we played them, the squad warmed up the day before with their children on their pot-holed pitch. they were relaxed and happy.
When the game came, that mood continued except there were fireworks and music too. You could see what it means to a small country. that motivation should never be underestimated.