Clint Dempsey’s third goal of the tournament proved to be a charm for the United States on Wednesday, lifting the Americans to a 1-0 victory over Panama in a Gold Cup semifinal at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The victory sends the U.S. into Saturday’s final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where it will meet Mexico, a 2-0 winner over Honduras in the second semifinal. The U.S. and Mexico have combined to win nine of the previous 10 Gold Cups.
The winner of this year’s tournament qualifies for the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil
Panama scored twice in the first half to beat the U.S. in group play, the only time in 10 Gold Cup appearances the U.S. has lost in the first round. But the U.S. hasn’t given up a goal since, and Wednesday’s rematch was another defensive struggle.
The only goal came in the 77th minute, and two players who weren’t in the starting lineup figured heavily in setting it up.
Freddy Adu, who came on in the 66th minute, started things when his pass from behind the midfield stripe found Landon Donovan streaking up the right side.
Donovan, who spent the first half on the bench, settled the ball before dribbling to the edge of the penalty area, where he slipped a low pass past three defenders to Dempsey, whose sliding goal slipped just inside the far post.
“When the opportunity comes, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to help the team,” said Adu, a former wunderkind who is rebuilding his career with the national team at 22. “Today I was told to come in, bring energy and make a difference.
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“It was amazing. I haven’t been part of the team for over three years now. So to get a chance just to be around the guys … I was really thankful for the opportunity. Once you’re here, you have to work hard. And when you get your chance, you have to make a difference. You have to reward your coach’s faith in you.”
While the U.S. played the same kind of ball-control game it used in its quarterfinal win over Jamaica – in this case, hoping to wear down a Panama team that went 120 minutes in its quarterfinal win over El Salvador three days earlier – the Panamanians seemed content to lie back and rarely challenged on offense until late in the match.
Panama’s only scoring chance in the first 70 minutes came early in the second half when striker Alberto Quintero, who had gotten behind U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra, had a perfect crossing pass go through his legs in front of an open net.