ORLANDO, Florida — After Qatar secured the final spot in the quarterfinals with a win over Honduras, Panama and Grenada rounded out Group D, with each side taking some positive things from the tournament.
For Grenada, their story was a return to the Gold Cup after a 10-year absence. The Spice Boys leave with their heads held high after obtaining their nation’s second goal in the competition.
“The boys are ecstatic,” said midfielder Regan Charles-Cook after the match. “Obviously, it was still disappointing to lose. That goal that’s come in, I think in all three games, we've had chances but we haven't scored. Well, I think we've given ourselves a good account and I'm so proud of the boys and that goal is very well deserved.”
The younger Charles-Cook received his first appearances with Grenada in this tournament. He hopes this is only the start of better things in his career and for the national team.
“For me, it was very an emotional moment,” added Charles-Cook. “We just hope in the last game we've made Grenada proud. We've had ups and downs, obviously results haven’t gone our way, but it just seemed like the boys gave everything on the pitch.”
Meanwhile, for Panama, their absence from the knockout stage ends a streak of eight straight appearances of advancing past the group stage.
The sting of not advancing should provide some important lessons moving forward.
“The truth is that this is something hard for us because we did not plan to get to this point,” said Panama goalkeeper Jose Calderon. “We have a very good national team, a very good offense, but we have to improve details that are new to us in the playing style of the coach. So I think that this tournament served us for that and we already know that we have to correct.”
