Panama scores late goal and surprises USA at Copa America

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ATLANTA, Georgia: Panama pulled off a surprise 2-1 victory over a 10-man United States team in a heated Copa America Group C encounter on Thursday, with Jose Fajardo scoring the decisive goal in the 83rd minute.

The dramatic victory came after the USA were reduced to ten men following a red card for Tim Weah in the 18th minute.

The equalizer came in the 88th minute when Panama’s Adalberto Carrasquilla was sent off for a brutal foul on Christian Pulisic.

The win moved Panama level on three points with the US team, which will most likely need a win in its final group match against Uruguay on Monday to advance to the knockout rounds.

It was a costly evening for the hosts, with goalkeeper Matt Turner having to be substituted at half-time due to a leg injury after colliding with Panama defender Cesar Blackman in the 12th minute.

Weah was sent off after a video review showed he had pushed Roderick Miller in the back of the head off the ball during a tense and heated start to the game.

After Weah’s dismissal, Balogun delighted the crowd with a magnificent shot from 15 metres to give the hosts the lead in the 22nd minute. The joy was short-lived, however, as Blackman equalised four minutes later with a shot from the edge of the box.

Ethan Horvath replaced the injured Turner in the US goal at halftime and almost saw a penalty awarded in the 64th minute, but the decision against US defender Cameron Carter-Vickers was overturned after a video review.

The USA thought they had taken the lead in the fifth minute through Weston McKennie, but the goal was disallowed after a review because Tim Ream was offside.

Their best chance of the second half came in the 81st minute when a header from Ricardo Pepi was saved by Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.

Panama then seized the initiative and scored the winning goal when substitute Fajardo hammered home a cross from Abdiel Ayarza.