Panama vs. Haiti
2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
July 7 | 7 pm ET | Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
TV: FOX Sports 2, UDN, Sportnet World
Panama and Haiti kick off the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Tuesday, opening the tournament with a Group A contest at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
- Group A Preview: USMNT favorites, while Panama looking for revenge
Panama was a surprise at the last Gold Cup, falling 1-0 to the US in the tournament final after an impressive run that saw Los Canaleros take out Mexico in the semis. This is Haiti’s sixth appearance at the regional competition, having qualified for the tournament by virtue of their third-place finish at the Caribbean Championship last November.
HOMECOMING FOR PEREZ: Tuesday’s match will be a special occasion for Panama’s Blas Perez, who will represent his country on the home field of his club team, FC Dallas. The 34-year-old forward has 36 goals and 14 assists since joining FCD ahead of the 2012 season, and figures to be Panama's primary goal threat against Haiti at Toyota Stadium.
HAITI BOSS CONFIDENT: His team may have been drawn into a tough Group A with the US and a pair of Central American powers, but Haiti head coach Marc Collat isn’t lacking in confidence ahead of Les Grenadiers Gold Cup opener. The French manager has presided over some solid results since taking over in January 2014, leading the group to a third-place finish at the Caribbean Cup and to a 2-1-2 record in their last five contests. Now he’s looking for big things on CONCACAF’s biggest stage, telling reporters earlier this week that he thinks his side “really are able to compete with the other teams in the region.”
ONE MORE SHOT FOR PANAMA’S CORE: This tournament is almost certainly the last shot at a major trophy for Panama’s “almost-golden generation,” with aging stars Perez, LA Galaxy’s Jaime Penedo, Luis Tejada and Luis Henriquez taking what will likely be a final crack at Gold Cup glory. If they’re to improve upon their successful 2013 run and take home the 2015 crown, they’ll need some help from the younger generation – a group that includes Colorado Rapids DP Gabriel Torres and promising 23-year-old center back Harold Cummings.
