The U.S. national team's 2-1 overtime victory over Panama wasn't the prettiest game ever played, but it had its share of drama and a great response from a U.S. team that was facing elimination a half-time deficit.

Kyle Beckerman's equalizer and Kenny Cooper's penalty provided the difference against a physical Panama team that looked poised for an upset before eventually being worn down by a result American team.

Bueno lo que ya sabemos es que lo más seguro es que lleguen Castillo y Ortiz a Tigres, esa no es novedad. Se rumora fuertemente que los delanteros elegidos serán Alfredo Moreno y Giancarlo Maldonado para acompañar a (Sarcasmatronic encendido) nuestra estrella (Sarcasmatronic apagado) Francisco Fonseca.

Será cuestión de horas para oficializarlo. Salvo que algo extraño suceda, José de Jesús Corona estará recibiendo la noticia de su traspaso a Tigres en la concentración de la Selección Mexicana.

Estaremos actualizando este post con lo que salga en el resto del día.

Una mera nota de referencia, al llegar Fernando Ortíz es lógico que no sea requerido Pedro Benítez. El caso de Blas Pérez también es interesante que no sea requerido, es decir, esa posición se está buscando:

El paraguayo Pedro Benítez, el panameño Blas Pérez y el arquero Cirilo Saucedo no entran en planes de los Tigres de la UANL para el Torneo de Apertura 2009.

Ayer vi una entrevista a Daniel Guzmán y menciono algunos nombres de jugadores que le gustan, también hablo sobre el caso Corona, sobre Blas y el multimentado "Kikin".

Los nombres que soltó y me llamaron la atención fueron los de Fabricio Fuentes, Diego Colotto y Fernando Ortiz.

¿Qué se tiene seguro en el club hasta el día de hoy?

Empezando, mañana ya viajan a hacer su "pretemporada de playa" a las playas de Manzanillo. La pretemporada inicia mañana mismo Lunes 8 y termina hasta el 21 de Junio. Estando allá se reincorporarán el portero Cirilo Saucedo que no se sabe que va a pasar con él, si se queda como portero títular o portero suplente; o lo utilizan como moneda de cambio por otro jugador si se llega a concretar lo de Corona.

The main stats for the U.S. Panama quarterfinal were posted yesterday. But during a discussion with a friend, I began wondering about whether either side had an advantage in height or weight. Here is what I found. I know that height and weight statistics are subject to gamesmanship among teams, but for the purposes of this post we will assume that a player's height and weight are accurately reported.

The United States played Panama in the 2nd Quarterfinal in Philadelphia on Saturday night with the winner advancing to the semifinals. Here's a full recap and video highlights.

United States outlasts Panama 2-1 - Video Highlights - The United States came from behind to defeat Panama 2-1 in Extra Time Saturday night to advance to the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinals.

Jimmy just after the collision Saturday with Panama's Blas Perez. Image from Daylife, found through The Original Winger.
Just got off the phone with Jimmy Conrad, and he says he's feeling better. No more grogginess just sitting around, but he can't get his heart rate up just yet. He told HR he suffered a concussion (obvious) and had post-impact amnesia for about 15 minutes after the collision (not as obvious).

It was the 2nd day of matches in Group C of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup with Mexico playing Panama and Guadeloupe taking on Nicaragua. Here's a recap of both matches along with video highlights.

Mexico draws with Panama 1-1 - Video Highlights - A physical match between both teams resulted in a 1-1 draw and 4 red cards.

This was a testy match. Felipe Baloy went after Benito Archundia ala Drogba style with all the pushing and shoving after the match was over and should be suspended. The Panama team also brought out the lumber to the US and should have been called on a number of fouls.

Bob Bradley continued his experimentation with Jay Heaps, Logan Pause starting and bringing back Davy Arnaud.

EL SUPER RATON

Any one following the recent Gold Cup surely heard his name thrown around. He plays for a lowly national squad and an un-heard of club in the U.A.E. None the less he was the tournaments second best goal scorer tallying 3 goals and 1 assist. It is none other then El Super Raton, Blas Perez.

The U.S. faces Panama on Saturday in the Gold Cup quarterfinals. It is a rematch of our last match against Panama (Bradley's first and only): a 2-1 victory in the 2007 Gold Cup quarterfinals. That match got ugly quickly and a repeat of that victory will be hard earned.

The U.S. also faced Panama in the 2005 Gold Cup final, which was decided by a shootout.

Reuters has this to report on the Group C Gold Cup 2009 matches...
HOUSTON, July 10 — Mexico were held to a 1-1 draw by Panama in an ill-tempered Gold Cup game yesterday, in which three players and the Mexican coach were sent off.

Guadeloupe beat Nicaragua 2-0 in the other Group C match to move top of the pool on a maximum six points from two games, two ahead of a disappointing Mexican side, who failed to build on Miguel Sabah's ninth-minute goal.

In each of the last two Gold Cups the United States and Panama have played competitive knock out stage matches. With that backdrop, much was expected tonight and the game was every bit as competitive as the previous two. I thought before the game the game would be decided by a single goal either way.

Surgen hoy varias notas de la sala de prensa de Tigres que vale la pena comentar. Primero hay una entrevista a Oscar Pérez en la que hace una reflexión del Interliga y comenta: "Lamentablemente no pudimos seguir en el Interliga, no pudimos pasar a la Libertadores, pero ahora hay que pensar en la Liga que va ser [.

Via FEPAFUT
El Director Técnico Nacional, GARY STEMPEL, dio a conocer la lista oficial de 23 jugadores que integrarán la selección de PANAMA para participar en la COPA ORO a disputarse del 3 al 26 de julio en 13 ciudades de Estados Unidos.
Los jugadores convocados deben presentarse a entrenamientos el lunes 22 de junio a la 8:00 a.

The biggest national team tournament in the CONCACAF region is here. The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup will spread across the US with 13 cities hosting matches. It will all culminate with the final on July 26 in Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Let's now preview Group C.
GROUP C TEAMS & HOW THEY QUALIFIED:
Guadeloupe - 3rd place in 2008 Caribbean Championship
Mexico - Automatic qualifier from North American zone
Nicaragua - 5th place in 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup
Panama - Champions of the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup
NICKNAMES:
Guadeloupe = Gwada Boyz
Mexico = El Tri
Nicaragua = Los Pinoleros or Albiazules
Panama = La Marea Roja or Los Canaleros
MATCH LOCATIONS:
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum - Oakland, California
Reliant Stadium - Houston, Texas
University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, Arizona
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Carlos Vela (MEX)
The Arsenal forward will be wearing the #9 for El Tri and could use this tournament to establish himself as Mexico's best player.

The U.S. national team will be looking to take a step closer to a third straight CONCACAF Gold Cup title today when it takes on Panama in the quarterfinals.

These teams have met in the past two Gold Cups, with the Americans winning the 2005 final via penalty kicks, and the 2007 quarterfinals in a tight 2-1 match.

Jared Borgetti le gustaría pertenecer a los TIGRES, pero la realidad es que no han llegado ni si quiera a un acercamiento entre Jugador, Directiva y Representante de dicho jugador. También se ha hablado mucho sobre el interés que tienen las Chivas por sus servicios tanto como de Tigres pero por parte de los Felinos [.

El primer tiempo volví a ver a esos Tigres que nos prendieron nuestra fe el torneo pasado unos Tigres muy ordenados atrás solventes y con desdobles hacia el frente con Bogado, Lobos y "Kikin" Fonseca con varias ocasiones para concretar el marcador a favor pero no se logró, sin embargo al que vi un [.

Importamos goles

El Chileno, Héctor Mancilla, se coronó como lider de goleo del Clausura 2009, y con esto refrenda su título y se convierte en bicampeón de goleo.

En segundo lugar quedó ubicado el Paraguayo Salvador Cabañas del América con 13 goles, solo 1 abajo de los 14 de Mancilla.

Press notes available here. Here's the highlights:
• With two goals and one assist, Stuart Holden is tied on top of the scoring charts at the CONCACAF Gold Cup after group play with Panama's Blas Perez. Five other players have scored two goals.
• The U.S. has now been undefeated in group play at all 10 Gold Cups with a 23-0-2 record.

The U.S. men's national team will face Panama for the third-straight CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday (8pm, Fox Soccer Channel) in Philadelphia, with a spot in Thursday's semifinals on the line. The Americans will field a very short-handed squad against a Panama team that has some talent but will still come in as the underdogs.

By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Jul 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Three minutes. For 180 seconds on Saturday night in Philadelphia Panama could see themselves finally reaching their soccer summit. In the lead courtesy of a Blas Perez goal, the Panamanians were finally going to beat the United States in Gold Cup competition.

Panama was always going to make it a fight, but the 2009 U.S. Gold Cup team showed on Saturday that it capable of taking a punch and still finding a way to win.

The U.S. national team went into Saturday's Gold Cup quarterfinal as the favorite, but anyone expecting the Panamanians to be a pushover doesn't know much about CONCACAF.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. national team's 2-1 overtime victory over Panama in Saturday's Gold Cup quarterfinal wasn't the prettiest game ever played, but it had its share of drama and a great response from a U.

Jimmy's head recently stopped bobbling after the nasty collision with Blas Perez of Panama.
Tonight, Jimmy Conrad returns to the Jimmy Conrad Show (sponsored by Budweiser) after spending the last month at Gold Cup with the U.S. National Team. The show takes place from 7-8 p.m. CT live from Fox and Hound in Overland Park, broadcast on Sports Radio 810 WHB and kcwizards.

¿A qué le tiras cuando sueñas, mexicano? ¿a hacerte rico en loterías con un millón? Mejor trabaja, ya levántate temprano; con sueños de opio sólo pierdes el camión. Salvador "Chava" Flores Nos gusta serlo y ¿porque no? Es mas fácil y mas económico emocionalmente. Veo lo que esta sucediendo en Tigres y me pregunto: ¿En que fregados estaremos pensando?

José Francisco Torres and Pachuca needed a 90 minute goal from Blas Perez to get by Indios and advance to the finals of Mexico's Primera División. Pachuca will play Pumas in the final, another two-leg affair, with games on May 28 and 31.

No Javier Aguirre? No problem.

With their head coach serving a suspension, the Mexican national team used a first-half blast from Gerardo Torrado to cruise to a 2-0 victory over Guadeloupe on Sunday.

Panama joined Mexico in the Gold Cup quarterfinals courtesy of its 4-0 mauling of Nicaragua.

At US vs Panama at the Linc
Originally uploaded by Chrissy Marie Estados Unidos sigue coqueteando con la derrota y en esta ocasion los panameños no supieron ni pudieron mantener la ventaja.
Blas Perez aunque cueste reconocerlo ha demostrado hambre de gol y las pocas que ha tenido las ha metido en esta Copa Oro, hoy puso en ventaja a su equipo y en el festejo perdió la camiseta por un fan from hell , aunque después la recupero y asi no lo amonesto Benito Archundia.

With several players leaving for Europe during the week, including new FC Sochaux signing Charlie Davies, the US roster was depleted to say the least. Nevertheless, the team put in a gritty performance to earn a 2-1 win in extra time against Panama.

The game was only the second USMNT game played in Philadelphia, the other being a 4-0 loss to Israel in 1968.

Ya dejemos átras un poco lo que paso en las primeras jornadas y enfoquémonos en el siguiente juego para los Tigres. En un principio pensé que esto era parte de la pretemporada pues los equipos de Manolo siempre son así en pretemporadas pero creo que ahora la pretemporada se les ha alargado un buen rato, Tigres [.

Que difícil es ser hincha de Tigres hoy día, me siento como si fuera 1996, pero con 13 años mas. Algunos notaron que tuve poca actividad en el sitio la semana pasada, sin animo de hacer excusas entre que tuve una semana pesada en cuanto a mi trabajo se refiere y ver lo que ocurre [...]

The biggest national team tournament in the CONCACAF region is here. The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup will spread across the US with 13 cities hosting matches. It will all culminate with the final on July 26 in Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Let's now preview Group C.

GROUP C TEAMS & HOW THEY QUALIFIED:
Guadeloupe - 3rd place in 2008 Caribbean Championship
Mexico - Automatic qualifier from North American zone
Nicaragua - 5th place in 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup
Panama - Champions of the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup

NICKNAMES:
Guadeloupe = Gwada Boyz
Mexico = El Tri
Nicaragua = Los Pinoleros or Albiazules
Panama = La Marea Roja or Los Canaleros

MATCH LOCATIONS:
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum - Oakland, California
Reliant Stadium - Houston, Texas
University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, Arizona

PLAYER TO WATCH:
Carlos Vela (MEX)
The Arsenal forward will be wearing the #9 for El Tri and could use this tournament to establish himself as Mexico's best player.

Panama demolish Nicaragua to book last quarter-final spot
GLENDALE (Arizona): Panama booked the last spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals against the United States with a 4-0 victory over Nicaragua in Group C on Sunday.
Mexico take top spot in the group after a 2-0 win over a Guadeloupe side who ended the game with nine men.

The U.S. men's national team will face Panama for the third-straight CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday (8pm, Fox Soccer Channel) in Philadelphia, with a spot in Thursday's semifinals on the line. The Americans will field a very short-handed squad against a Panama team that has some talent but will still come in as the underdogs.

Panama was always going to make it a fight, but the 2009 U.S. Gold Cup team showed on Saturday that it capable of taking a punch and still finding a way to win.

The U.S. national team went into Saturday's Gold Cup quarterfinal as the favorite, but anyone expecting the Panamanians to be a pushover doesn't know much about CONCACAF.

STARTERS
Frank Dell'apa who covers soccer in our country as well as anyone over the past 20 years has started a blog, Soccer Confidential, to help us all keep tabs on the interesting stuff that only he can dig up. I love it. Welcome to blogland Frank. (Dell'apa's main gig was with the Boston Globe, where last year he was removed from the soccer beat to cover the Boston Celtics NBA team.