The U.S. national team will face Panama on Thursday night with a chance to advance to the Copa America quarterfinals.
Most experts see this as a potential trap for Americans.
The U.S. faces a crucial match against Uruguay, the third-ranked favorite to win the tournament, with Argentina the favorite to win, followed by Brazil.
There are fears that the US may neglect Panama on the heels of its crushing victory over Bolivia.
The U.S. team is one win away from advancing to the quarterfinals and has a chance to match or surpass their best performance since reaching the semifinals in 2016.
Coach Gregg Berhalter’s team will have the benefit of playing in their hometown as the game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
USA vs. Panama odds (via DraftKings)
- USA (-260) | Draw (+360) | Panama (+800)
USA vs Panama Predictions
(6 p.m. ET, FOX)
Panama played excellent defense for nearly 80 minutes against Uruguay, but conceded two goals in the final six minutes of the game.
Their attack was lackluster from the moment they stepped onto the pitch, scoring just one of their three shots on goal.
Panama won’t win many games unless they beef up their attacking power, even if they adopt a counter-attacking style.
Tactically, Berhalter will likely go with his typical 4-3-3 formation, but he might be a bit hesitant given that this game could get a bit stalemated at times.
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Panama played well early on, slowing down a powerful Uruguay attack, but collapsed in the second half.
I don’t expect much from either offense in this matchup, but my gut feeling is that Team USA will win 1-0 (+500, FanDuel).
For now, I expect the first half to be a draw as Panama will hang in there with a defensive style.
Prediction: Team USA vs. Panama First Half Result: Draw (+125, FanDuel)
