[do action="article_quote"]Sunday 7 July 2013 – 5 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California USA[/do]
PREVIOUS MEETINGS – CONCACAF GOLD CUP
Date Match Site Phase Result
13.06.07 Mexico – Panama Houston Grp C 1:0
09.07.09 Mexico – Panama Houston Grp C 1:1
[do action="article_quote"]MEXICO[/do]
- In the midst of a busy summer with FIFA World Cup qualifying and participation in the FIFA Confederations Cup, technical director José Manuel de la Torre said defending the CONCACAF Gold Cup title will be very important.
- “I like to see other players in competition because it is the only way to know if we are able to face what's coming,” said De la Torre. “I want internal competition and need to know what we are made of to face adverse situations.”
- Darvin Chavez, Javier Cortes, Jorge Enriquez, Marco Fabián, Israel Jimenez, Raúl Jiménez and Miguel Ponce were members of the Mexican squad that won the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
- Three players originally expected to be part of the Gold Cup are out because of injury. Oribe Peralta is recovering from a left knee injury, while Fernando Arce (pubitis) and David Cabrera (left knee ligament) are also out.
Pre-tournament preparation
- Mexico concluded its pre-tournament preparations with a 3-2 loss to Querétaro (Primera División) at Estadio La Corregidora. Javier Orozco scored both goals for Mexico, both after the 90th minute.
Mexico: Orozco; Huiqui, Velarde (R. Jiménez), Pereira, Layún (I. Jiménez), Peña, Castro, Fabián, Cortés (Montes), Aldrete, Márquez Lugo (Orozco)
- Mexico lost 1-0 to Cruz Azul Hidalgo on June 29, and defeated Altamira 3-1 on June 26 (both Liga de Ascenso).
- Mexico’s preparations were guided by Salvador Reyes Jr., while technical director José Manuel de la Torre was at the FIFA Confederations Cup.
FIFA Confederations Cup
- As winner of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Mexico participated in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 in Brazil.
- In the opening match in Rio de Janeiro on June 16, Mexico lost 2-1 to Italy (Javier Hernández). On June 19 in Fortaleza, champions Brazil defeated Mexico 2-0. On June 22, Mexico concluded the competition with a 2-1 win against Japan in Belo Horizonte.
22.06.13: Japan 1-2 Mexico (Okazaki 86 – Hernández 54, 66)
Mexico: Ochoa; Reyes; Torrado; Dos Santos (Barrera 77); Hernández; Moreno; Zavala; Guardado (Salcido 70); Jiménez (Aquino 90); Torres Nilo, Mier.
CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Mexico qualified automatically as a member of the North American Zone.
- Mexico is participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for a 12th time, along with the USA the only countries to have played in every edition of the event.
- Mexico has won six Gold Cup championships, including the last two (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011).
- Mexico enters the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 12-game undefeated streak in Gold Cup matches. Since the start of the 2009 competition, Mexico have won 10 matches and drawn 2. Its last loss came in the 2007 Gold Cup final, to the USA (2-1).
FIFA World Cup qualifying
- After six matches in final round qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2013 Brazil, Mexico sits in third place with 8 points (W1 – T5 – L0), with 3 goals for and 2 goals against.
- Mexico’s last qualifying match was a scoreless draw with Costa Rica on June 11 at Estadio Azteca. It was Mexico’s second consecutive scoreless draw and fourth in six qualifying matches.
11.06.13: Mexico 0-0 Costa Rica
Mexico: Corona; Rodríguez; Salcido; Barrera (Aquino 63); De Nigris (Jiménez 53); Hernández; Moreno; Herrera (Dos Santos 74); Zavala; Guardado, Flores.
[do action="article_quote"]PANAMÁ[/do]
- Panama began its Gold Cup preparations June 22 at Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama, and arrived in the USA a week before the start of the competition.
- “The three opponents in the first round will be very difficult,” said Panama technical director Julio Dely Valdés. “Mexico has a base which had a great participation in the Olympics; Canada we know well and is difficult; meanwhile we don’t know much about Martinique, although it’s always complicated against Caribbean teams.”
FIFA World Cup qualifying
- After six matches in final round qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2013 Brazil, Panama sits in fifth place with 6 points (W1 – T3 – L2), with 5 goals for and 7 goals against.
- Panama’s last World Cup qualifier came June 11, a 2-0 loss to the USA in Seattle.
11.06.13: USA 2 – Panama 0 (Altidore 36; Johnson 53)
Panama: Penedo; Parris, Torres, Baloy, Rodriguez; Sanchez, Henriquez (Torres 78), Cooper (Barahona 60), Quintero; Godoy (Blackburn 59); Tejada
Gold Cup Qualifying
- Panama qualified for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup after finishing fifth in UNCAF Copa Centroamericana.
- Panama finished third in Group B, drawing 0-0 with El Salvador and 1-1 with Honduras.
- In the fifth-place match for Gold Cup qualification, Panama defeated Guatemala 3-1.
25.01.13: Guatemala 1-3 Panama (Lopez 75 - B Perez 28, Rojas 55, Quintero 59)
Panama: Penedo - Torres, Parris, Cedeño, Dixon, J Pérez (Cummings 90+2), Quintero, Sánchez, Godoy, Rojas (Bonaga 72), B Pérez (Rodriguez 83)
CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Panama is participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for a sixth time, its fifth consecutive appearance in the confederation championship.
- Panama has reached the knockout stage on four occasions, including in the 2011 event, losing 1-0 to the USA.
- In 2005, Panama reached the final, losing to the USA on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw.
