A LASK player as a party crasher

SAN DIEGO. The US soccer players were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup and thus missed out on the hoped-for eighth triumph at the continental tournament. The co-hosts lost 5-4 on penalties in San Diego after a 1-1 draw against outsiders Panama on Thursday night. In the final, Panama meets record winners Mexico, who clearly defeated Jamaica 3-0 (2-0). The final will be held on Sunday evening (local time).

A LASK player was also involved in the outsider victory. Defender Andres Andrade, who returned to Linz in the summer after a two-year interlude, played through in the semifinals against the Americans in the Panama defence. Due to the final qualification, LASK will have to wait even longer for the 24-year-old. Andrade will probably need a few days to regenerate before starting training.

No goals were scored in regular time at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. The USA were missing stars like Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Pulisic, who is about to move to AC Milan, and Weston McKennie (Juventus Turin). Ivan Andersson (99′) put Panama ahead in extra time before Jesus Ferreira (105′) saved the US team on penalties. But Panama’s goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera parried against Ferreira and Cristian Roldan and became a US party crasher.

For Panama it is only the third final after 2005 and 2013, it has never won the cup. “Reaching this final is the dream of every Panamanian. We had to suffer for this win. But that’s the best way to enjoy it,” said Panama’s Danish coach Thomas Christiansen (50).

For record winners Mexico scored Henry Martin (2nd), Luis Chavez (30th) and Roberto Alvarado (90th + 3rd) on the way to a possible ninth title in the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise near Las Vegas. Mexico won its last title in 2019, having lost the final to the United States in 2021.