MIAMI, Florida – An early goal from Jesus Gallardo held up to give Mexico a 1-0 victory over Panama in the Third Place Match of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League Finals on Sunday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was a dream start for Mexico, as they scored their first goal of the 2022-23 CNLF on a good finish from Gallardo in just the fourth minute. Uriel Antuna’s cross from the right edge took a slight deflection of a Panama defender and found the swinging foot of Gallardo for a 1-0 lead.
Panama did not hesitate to try to strike back and looked set to equalize in the 8’ through Alberto Quintero, only for legendary Mexico GK Guillermo Ochoa to have other ideas and make a diving save to his right.
It remained a wide-open affair the rest of the half with neither side content to just play it safe. Mexico were keen to find a second and had a couple good looks at goal, while Panama tried to use a more direct approach but were unable to test Ochoa any further before halftime.
It stayed open-ended going into the second half and Mexico nearly doubled their lead in the 53’ on a Luis Chavez free kick that forced Panama GK Luis Mejia into a stretch save.
Panama were very strong in going forward and started to peg the Mexican defense back in its own half, but it also allowed El Tricolor the space to counterattack with force, almost resulting in a goal in the 72’ during which Panama DF Fidel Escobar made a last-gasp clearance before a cross reached Mexico FW Santiago Gimenez.
Los Canaleros committed more numbers forward in the final minutes in hopes of a goal, but at each time of asking they were turned away by a resolute Mexico defense, sealing the win for El Tricolor.
