Panama’s soccer team defeated Costa Rica 3-1 this Monday and with a comfortable 6-1 lead at the end of the Concacaf League of Nations series secured participation in the 2024 Copa América.

José Fajardo in the 21st minute, José Rodríguez in the 23rd minute and Édgar Bárcenas from the penalty in the 43rd minute settled the match in the first half. Francisco Calvo reduced the deficit for the Costa Ricans in the 52nd minute.

Gustavo Alfaro: It was a learning defeat

In the first 15 minutes of the game, Costa Rica dominated the ball, against a Panamanian team that preferred to wait.

‘A new technician, the same nightmare’, ‘What a shame!’, ‘It was a disaster’, are the merciless criticisms of Costa Rica by Gustavo Alfaro from the Costa Rican press

That composure bore fruit in the 21st minute, in the removal of Michael Amir Murillo, who left a cross, which was followed by José Fajardo, who made the score 1:0 with a left-footed shot.

The second goal for the Panamanian team came two minutes later when José Rodríguez’s powerful left-footed shot slipped past Kevin Chamorro at the far post.

With the score 2-0 and five nil on aggregate, Panama took off the accelerator.

In the 42nd minute, after consultation with VAR, a penalty was awarded to La Roja due to Giancarlo González’s foul on José Rodríguez.

Édgar Yoel Bárcenas made it 3:0 in the 43rd minute.

The team of Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro went all or nothing in the second half. In the 52nd minute, the newly arrived Joel Campbell put in a ball that Francisco Calva connected with his head.

The goal of the student of the former Ecuador coach raised hope, but Panama closed all ranks.

The Panamanians devoted themselves to defense and maintaining the result, against opponents who desperately wanted to score and reduce the score. The last danger in the match was brought by Julio Cascante in the 61st minute, with a header past Panama’s goal.

Now the Argentinian coach’s team will have to play a playoff that could be Trinidad and Tobago or Jamaica if they want to compete in the Conmebol competition that will be played in the United States next year. (D)