Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Following a goalless draw with Mexico, USA will look to move one step closer to securing their spot at the World Cup finals when they take on Panama at Exploria Stadium. The Yanks are eyeing their sixth consecutive win on home soil, and they are likely to go all guns blazing at los Canaleros. Fit-again Borussia midfielder Giovanni Reyna should sneak into the starting XI, while talented striker Ricardo Pepi is widely expected to lead the line for the hosts.
Panama, on the other hand, dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with Honduras. Los Canaleros aim to regain their spot in top four, but given their poor away record (2-0-4), we are tempted to put our money on Christian Pulisic and Co. A man to watch in the away side will be experienced attacker Rolando Blackburn, who found the net in the last group game.
Highlighted Player (Weston McKennie):
After starting his youth career at FC Dallas, Weston McKennie moved to Germany in the summer of 2016, signing a contract with Bundesliga side Schalke 04. The American footballer made his Bundesliga debut on May 20, 2017, coming as a substitute in the 77th minute of the match.
The talented midfielder scored his first goal in the German elite division on August 6, 2018 in a 2-0 win at Fortuna Dusseldorf. Speaking of his international career, the Schalke footballer made his debut with United States of America on November 14, 2017 in a friendly against Portugal, finding the net on his debut.
Weston McKennie has two caps for the USA U20 team as well. His main position is central midfield, but he used as both defensive and attacking midfielder as well. The USA international was born in Fort Lewis, Washington on August 28, 1998. His preferred foot is right.
Highlighted Team (Panama):
Norway are a Nordic side that participated three times at the FIFA World Cup finals (1938, 1994 and 1998). The Norwegians were producing fine performances at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, with the team setting up a meeting with Italy in the last 16 of the showpiece tournament thanks to a 2-1 win over Brazil in their last group match.
However, the Azzurri proved to be a big catch for Norway and thanks to Bobo Vieri’s goal the Italians made it to the quarter-finals. Norway only once qualified for the European Championship finals, with the team suffering elimination in the group stages of the 2000 tournament in Belgium and Netherlands. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the most famous Norwegian player and it is well known that he helped Manchester United beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.
The “Baby-faced” striker scored the winner for the Red Devils in the dying seconds of the match. Norway play their home games at Ullevaal Stadion, which was opened in September, 1926. The capacity of the venue is 28.000.