Our prediction for this Gold Cup match:
High-flying Panama will be aiming to seal their spot in the Gold Cup quarter-finals when they take on El Salvador on Wednesday morning. Los Canaleros are eager to keep their 100% record at the tournament in USA intact, but they should be happy with one point from the last group game as well. Keep in mind that experienced Nashville midfielder Anibal Godoy serves a one-game ban.
La Selecta, on the other hand, have no other option but to go all guns blazing at Panama as they face a must-win situation in the decider. Anyhow, home win should be considered as Thomas Christiansen is doing a great job with the Panama national team. There are no fresh injury worries in the away team ahead of the Shell Energy Stadium clash. In their last meeting at the Gold Cup, back in 2011, los Canaleros defeated la Selecta on penalties to make it to the semis.
Highlighted Player (Anibal Godoy):
Anibal Godoy is a professional footballer who plays for Panama national football team. The powerful midfielder was born on February 10, 1990 and he has been playing for los Ticos since March 4, 2010 when he made his debut for the national team.
Anibal Godoy played full 90 minutes in the 2-1 win over Venezuela and he scored his first goal for Panama four years late in a 3-1 victory over El Salvador. Speaking of his club career, Godoy played for Chepo of Panama from 2007 to 2010 and he moved to Europe in the summer of 2013, signing a deal with Hungarian outfit Honved.
After playing 24 league games (one goal) for Honved, Godoy signed for Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes in August 2015. Anibal Godoy is a defensive midfielder and his preferred foot is left. His contract with San Jose should expire in December, 2017 and it has to be noted that he began his youth career Arsenal de Sarandi of Argentina.
Highlighted Team (El Salvador):
El Salvador are a national football team that play their home games at Estadio Cuscatlan. La Azul y Blanco turned down an invitation from Brazil to take part in the 1950 World Cup finals, but in 1970 they made it to the finals of the showpiece tournament in Mexico 20 years later.
They participated at the 1982 World Cup finals as well, but they have yet to advance the first round of the finals competition. El Salvador hosted the first CONCACAF Championship, but they failed to win the trophy, with the team suffering a loss to Costa Rica in the title game. Speaking of the Central American and Carribean Games, la Selecta won the trophy on two occasions (1954, 2002) and in 1968 they booked their place at the Olympic Games in Mexico.
The likes of Magico Gonzales, Rodolfo Zelaya, Arturo Alvarez, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Ronald Cerritos, Raul Diaz Arce, Alexander Larin, Eliseo Quintanilla, Jaime Alas and Alfredo Pacheco are some of the notable footballers who played for El Salvador.