Print

Mail

wiki links

US defeats Panama in qualifying match for Olympic games

Bobby Convey scored two goals to lead the US in a tough 4-3 victory over Panama on Tuesday as it opened regional qualifying for the Athens Olympics.

The victory was a major step toward what would be the US' sixth consecutive Olympic soccer tournament. Honduras topped Canada 1-0 earlier in the evening.

A gutsy underdog, Pamana charged back from a 3-0 halftime deficit. But at 78 minutes, Convey put the US back on top with a shot from the left side on a relay from Ed Johnson, who had been fed a pass by DaMarcus Beasley.

Convey had started scoring for the US at 7 minutes, knocking in a goal on a rebound off goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.

Brad Davis scored at 27 minutes, shooting off of a pass from Landon Donovan, who had sped past defenders down the right side.

Two minutes later, Donovan himself raced from midfield, traded passes with DaMarcus Beasley and scored from the left side.

Fighting for its first-ever Olympic appearance, Panama seized the initiative early in the second half with a goal by Jose Luis Garces at 52 minutes, followed five minutes later by a booming 20m drive from left of center by Luis Henriquez.

Garces put Panama even at 70 minutes, hitting a shot past Countess after US players lost the ball while passing it about, apparently trying to run down the clock.

Countess also was forced into a leaping save at 62 minutes to tip away a shot by Luis Tejada.

The sparse crowd at 25,000-seat Tres de Marzo Stadium just outside Guadalajara was vocally pro-Panamanian, though the Guadalajara area has one of the largest populations of US retirees outside the United States.

Panama managed repeated but fruitless attacks on the US goal during the first half. Among the most serious came from midfielder William Aguilar who belted a 20m shot deflected by a leaping Countess at 37 minutes and who, a minute later, slid through defenders on the left side, only to push his shot wide right.

The eight-team tournament will decide the two slots at the Athens Olympics from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

In the night's first game, Emil Martinez scored in the 57th minute off of a pass from Mauricio Castro, giving Honduras a 1-0 victory over Canada.

Honduras had threatened two minutes earlier when Maynor Figueroa outraced a Canadian defender to a ball in the left corner and fired a pass to Clifford Laing, but his Olivier grabbed his shot.

Walter Martinez missed a chance to add to Honduras' lead at 79 minutes when he skated a penalty kick over the goal.

Canada barely entered the Honduran penalty zone in the first half hour of play, but became more organized as the half was ending.

Honduras is seeking a second consecutive Olympics appearance. Canada failed to qualify for the Sydney Games in 2000.

In Group A, the US today plays Canada while Panama meets Honduras.
This story has been viewed 2562 times.