Posted on September 11, 2012
PANAMA CITY — Panama retured to its winning ways in World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win over Canada in a CONCACAF Group C semifinal victory at Estadio Rommel Fernandez on Tuesday night.
The victory left the Panamanians in the Group C drivers seat with a 3-1-0 record and nine points. The Canadians (seven) fell to 2-1-1.
“We were second best in everything,” Canada coach Stephen Hart told the Canadian Press.
“No excuse. You’re going to come down here. You’re going to have to try and get points on the road and the way we started and the lights going out and losing Dwayne we were really lethargic overall and we played the price for it.”
Perhaps in more ways than one. The Canadians lost D.C. United midfielder-forward Dwayne De Rosario, last year’s MVP in Major League Soccer, to a knee injury early on. He was replaced by Tosaint Ricketts.
Hart told reporters that it might be a medial collateral ligament injury.
“We don’t know,” Hart told Canadian Press. “We have to do an MRI.”
Rolando Blackburn gave the hosts all the scoring they needed in the 38th minute as he headed the ball into the net. Blas Perez, however, doubled the advantage in the 57th minute. On the second goal, Alberto Quintero ran around David Edgar on the left side. Goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld tried to cut down the angle, but Quintero passed the ball to Perez and the FC Dalas forward scored from close range.
Goalkeeper Jaime Penedo recored the shutout.
The match was delayed for almost 15 minutes after kick off when lights went out in the north end of the stadium.
Panama will close out the group stage at home vs. Honduras on Oct. 12 before visiting Cuba on Oct. 16.
Photo: Blas Perez scored the insurance goal for Panama. Photo courtesy of FC Dallas
Categories: Canada, Central America, North America, Panama, World Cup Qualifying
Tags: Blas Perez, Estadio Rommel Fernandez, Rolando Blackburn
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