USMNT vs. Panama: Odds, Time, Live Stream, TV Schedule for World Cup Qualifying | Bleacher Report

The United States men’s national team could book its ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Sunday night.

The Americans need to beat Panama in Orlando, Florida, and receive some help from El Salvador against Costa Rica to lock into one of the three automatic qualification spots from Concacaf.

Gregg Berhalter’s team sits in second place in Concacaf World Cup qualifying with 22 points after a draw on the road against Mexico on Thursday.

The USMNT needs to beat Panama and for Costa Rica, which is in fourth place, to drop points against El Salvador to clinch a berth in Qatar.

A Costa Rica loss combined with a USA-Panama draw also does the trick for the Americans. The USMNT will know what it has to do to qualify Sunday night since Costa Rica and El Salvador play earlier in the day.

If Costa Rica beats El Salvador, the USMNT needs to run up its goal total against Panama to create enough separation on goal differential between itself and Los Ticos. The USMNT own a seven-goal edge entering Sunday. The same margin or larger should allow the Americans to clinch qualification in Costa Rica on Wednesday if they do not secure that Sunday.

                    

USMNT vs. Panama Info

Date: Sunday, March 27

Start Time: 7 p.m. ET 

TV: FS1, UniMas, TUDN

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app

Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): USMNT -260 (bet $260 to win $100); Panama +650 (bet $100 to win $650); draw +340

                

Preview

The USMNT will know what is at stake in its game against Panama based on the result of Costa Rica vs. El Salvador.

A loss or a draw by Costa Rica opens up the scenario for the Americans to clinch a World Cup berth on home soil.

Costa Rica beat El Salvador at home earlier in the World Cup qualifying cycle. El Salvador lost at home to Canada and Mexico and played to a scoreless draw with the USMNT.

If Costa Rica wins, the Americans need to match Los Ticos’ goal total at minimum to be in good shape to qualify for the World Cup on Wednesday.

The Americans hold a three-point edge on Costa Rica, and they have the goal differential tiebreaker.

Panama comes into Sunday in fifth place and in need of a draw or loss from Costa Rica to remain in the mix for fourth place. The fourth-place team in Concacaf heads to the intercontinental playoff.

Berhalter’s USMNT is 5-0-1 on home soil in World Cup qualifying. That record should ease the nerves of fans anxious to see the team get back to the World Cup.

The USMNT will have to win Sunday without Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest and Brenden Aaronson, all of whom are out of this set of games with injuries.

Christian Pulisic’s play in the final third will be vital if the Americans to pick up the three points at home. He is the highest-profile player in the squad, and the expectation will be for him to either score, or create a handful of chances to put the Americans ahead.

Look for Gio Reyna to play a vital role in the final third as well. The Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder impressed in a substitute role at Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, most notably setting up Jordan Pefok, who fired wide.

Pefok and Ricardo Pepi are the top candidates to start up top Sunday, but both players come with concerns. The former has one goal in nine USMNT appearances despite reaching double figures in the Swiss Super League with Young Boys. Pepi is enduring a rough stretch after moving from FC Dallas to FC Augsburg in January.

Berhalter could also ask Jordan Morris to fill the forward role. The Seattle Sounders player has 10 goals in 44 appearances on the international stage.

The USMNT also has questions in defense, where Shaq Moore was called in Thursday to replace Reggie Cannon, who tested positive for COVID-19. Moore will likely start at right back because DeAndre Yedlin is suspended because of yellow-card accumulation.

The other parts of the USMNT defense have occasionally impressed during qualifying, including left back Antonee Robinson.

The USMNT needs Moore to provide some stability on the right flank to deal with a Panama squad that will be playing with some desperation. Panama needs Costa Rica to drop points on the road to feel better about its ability to finish in fourth place.

Panama is one point back of Los Ticos and is one goal behind on goal differential, which is the first tiebreaker used by Concacaf. A Panama loss to the USMNT combined with a Costa Rica win over El Salvador eliminates Los Canaleros from World Cup qualification.

The USMNT should expect a hungry Panama attack, especially if Costa Rica wins, and that could play in favor of the home side if it catches out the visitors in transition through Pulisic, Reyna and others.

                             

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