El Salvador struggled but can't find enough punch to beat Panama

By Paul Nicholson in Houston

July 4 – Panama secured top spot in Group C with a 2-2 draw on an intense and sticky night in Houston in front of impressive Salvadoran support that had their country roaring from start to finish end.

El Salvador disappointed this Gold Cup but in an evening of passion and commitment in front of more than 20,000 mostly Salvadoran supporters, they left everything they had on the pitch.

They just didn't have enough to beat a Panama that was too good for them for long periods of the game. Panama, who have qualified for the Nations League final, are improving with every game under coach Thomas Christiansen.

Their toughest opponent of the team announcements through a national anthem and 90 minutes of frantic football was, for most of the match, a Salvadoran support who shouted for every defensive challenge, pass and incursion on the center line – all accompanied by an incessant drumbeat.

Panama started the match already qualified for the quarter-finals and Christiansen took the opportunity to rotate his team. Last in the group, El Salvador still had a chance to qualify, but needed to beat Panama and hope Costa Rica beat Martinique with fewer goals than they put in ahead of Panama.

From the start, Bryan Gil was the star player for El Salvador and at minute 2 was sent on goal, despite his shirt being taken off, he did enough to slide the ball past Orlando Mosquera in the goal of Panama. The crowd turned the sound up a notch.

In the 8th minute, Leonardo Menjvar of El Salvador was taken down, but Mosquera got the free kick.

Panama almost equalized moments later but Ismael Diaz took the lead wide.

As the game progressed, Panama built a pass of play past the committed defense and even fiercer support.

In the 25th minute, a Panamanian corner saw Mario Gonzalez hit the ball only for it to land on Edgar Barcenas on the edge of the box whose shot was headed in by Fidel Escobar.

Panama had the ball possession advantage and in the 39th minute Ismael Diaz broke the right but his cross from the ball was headed in by Fredy Gondola

It fell to Gil to provide the outlet for El Salvador. A constant threat to Panama's central defence, in the 41st minute he shook his marker and broke through the middle but Joshua Perez couldn't control Gil's feed. A minute later, Jairo Hernandez's overlap on the right saw his hammer shot denied by Mosquera.

Panama continued where it left off after restarting.

Roberto Miller had a wide dipping head. Panama put the pressure on and had a succession of blocked or diverted chances. When they lost possession, they pressed and quickly won the ball back into the Salvadoran half, all to the relentless beat of the Salvadoran frenzied drums.

In the 57th minute Gil received the ball in the Panamanian half and pushed into space but powered his shot wide, moments later he won a ball over the top but didn't found no support among the lower ranks of Panamanian defenders.

In the 70th minute, with Panama camped on the edge of the Salvadoran penalty area, a ball from the right found Ismael Diaz unmarked in the middle to shoot. It was not more than Panama deserved.

Gil responded immediately, beating his marker into the Panama box but Mosquera quickly closed space to block the shot.

As the Salvadoran fans began to get agitated, a fan interrupted play for five minutes as he ran onto the pitch. With play stopped, the Salvadoran players began arguing amongst themselves. Tempers were overflowing and beer was thrown from the bleachers too.

The cathartic exchange seemed to galvanize the Salvadorans. Once the match restarted with the clock showing 88 minutes, El Salvador saved a goal...