USA 1-1 Panama
It was a hot one in Nashville – the weather that is.
As spectacles go, however, there really wasn’t too much for sports betting fans to write home about on the pitch.
That is unless you took the pre-match betting odds on a draw, in which case it was certainly a worthwhile punt.
A fairly uninspiring Gold Cup encounter saw the spoils shared in Group B, and the USA know a vast improvement will be required over the next few weeks if they are to lift the trophy for a sixth time.
Dom Dwyer had given them a lead five minutes into the second period, a stretch in which Bruce Arena’s men started strongly.
Yet, even after his second international goal in as many games, they failed to build on the momentum of the opener and Panama grabbed a deserved equaliser on the hour.
Miguel Camargo smashed the ball home from close range after Brad Guzan made a fine save to keep out Gabriel Torres.
Guzan, who got a hand to it, was the busier of the goalkeepers throughout and sportingly, Arena acknowledged Panama’s efforts and added that fielding an understrength side provided no excuse as to why the Stars and Stripes failed to win.
The real winner, of course, was the weather and the sweltering conditions in Tennessee as the USA failed to win their opening group game in this competition for the first-ever time.
It was no surprise when the pace slowed down before the end, while players were allowed a hydration break during the opening 45 minutes.
It’s four draws in a row now for these two nations when they’ve faced each other.
And with minnows Martinique and Nicaragua still to come in the group, both will remain hopeful of qualifying.
Let’s hope the action is a bit more inspiring though!
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