Mexico vs Panama score, result as El Tri claim 3rd place in CONCACAF Nations League with 1-0 win

Simon Borg

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Mexico vs Panama score, result as El Tri claim 3rd place in CONCACAF Nations League with 1-0 win image

Mexico claimed third place at the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League thanks to a 1-0 win over Panama in the consolation match, but it was far from a convincing display from El Tri as they still appear shaken from the humiliating semifinal loss to the USA which left the program in a state of confusion.

Mexico left-back Jesus Gallardo scored a fourth-minute goal that held up as the winner, although Panama were unlucky to have two goals disallowed for offside infractions. One of them was a spectacular bicycle kick goal by captain Anibal Godoy.

Panama arguably deserved something from the game, but Mexico manager Diego Cocca will take the victory which should buy him some more time to right the ship. In the wake of the resounding defeat to the USA, Cocca was forced to answer questions about players wanting to abandon camp, and others complaining about logistics and practice. 

We'll see which Mexican players continue on to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is the upcoming regional competition kicking off next weekend. Mexico's first match in that tournament comes on Sunday, June 25 against Honduras in Houston.

Panama's senior team, which will also be heading to the Gold Cup, may have lost out on third place at the Nations League, but the country can still celebrate. Panama's Under-23 side registered a big 4-1 win earlier in the day against Mexico's Under-23s to capture the prestigious Maurice Revello Tournament in France (formerly the Toulon Tournament).

MORE: Explaining how the CONCACAF Nations League works

Mexico vs Panama final score

  Final Goal scorers
Mexico 1 4' Gallardo (Antuna)
Panama 0  

Lineups:

Mexico (4-3-3, right to left): 13-Ochoa (GK) — 2-J. Araujo, 15-Reyes, 5-Vasquez, 23-Gallardo — 14-E. Sanchez, 7-Romo, 18-Chavez — 21-Antuna (8-Rodriguez, 95'+), 11-Gimenez (20-Martin, 87'), 9-Ozziel (17-Pineda, 67')

Panama (5-3-2, right to left): 1-Mejia (GK) — 10-Barcenas, 3-Cummings, 4-Escobar, 5-Miller, 2-Blackman — 19-Quintero (13-Gondola, 83'), 20-Godoy (6-C. Martinez, 64'), 8-Carrasquilla (7-Welch, 94'+) — 11-Diaz (18-Waterman, 83'), 17-Fajardo

Mexico did not play well ... again

The logic adopted by many is that this was merely a match that Mexico needed NOT to lose. Mission accomplished then. But it was not too pretty outside of that.

There was little fluidity to Mexico's movements, scoring chances were limited, and there were stretches of the match when Panama were winning second balls and playing with urgency.

The Mexican backline experienced its share of defensive shortcomings, the midfield struggled to affect the match, and the forwards were imprecise, Bottom line: Diego Cocca has a lot of work to do to mix and match players and find partnerships on the field that deliver results.

Empty stadium welcomes Mexico

The Mexican national team is accustomed to playing in front of full houses in the USA, but it was met with an empty Allegiant Stadium for the third-place match which kicked off at 3 p.m. local time.

"It surprised me a lot," Mexico forward Uriel Antuna said, "because Mexico always filled the majority of the stadiums. There were barely any fans and that surprised me. But then we got into the game and we played our game."

Mexico vs Panama updates, highlights from Nations League 3rd place match

Final: Mexico 1-0 Panama

90th min.: Five minutes of stoppage time.

86th min.: Chance Mexico! Erick Sanchez intercepts a ball just outside the Panama box and has a free path on goal, but he delays his shot and Roderick Miller makes a sensational recovery to block the shot for a corner.

83rd min.: SUBS Panama. Panama coach Christiansen makes two attacking subs in a desperate chase of an equalizer.

75th min.: Mexico penalty erased by VAR. The referee points to the spot on a challenge by Edgar Barcenas on Mexico's Santi Gimenez in the Panama box. But there's nothing illegal in it, and the referee reverses his decision after he sees it on the monitor.

72nd min.: Mexico chance! On a counterattack it's Uriel Antuna (finally) with a good cross to the far post, but Panama defender Fidel Escobar does well to knock it out for a corner. Excellent defensive play.

69th min.: Another Panama goal disallowed! Ismael Diaz was clearly offside. Panama deserve something from this game.

67th min.: SUB Mexico. Orbelin Pineda is in for Ozziel Herrera. Diego Cocca saw how Herrera was getting into trouble and saved himself a headache.

64th min.: SUB Panama. Captain Anibal Godoy comes off after that bicycle kick goal that was disallowed. Cristian Martinez replaces him in central midfield.

60th min.: Chance Panama! It's a breakaway for Panama led by Alberto Quintero. Then Ismael Diaz lays it back to Anibal Godoy, but his shot is deflected and the chance disappears.

57th min.: Red card to Mexico? El Tri's Ozziel Herrera, who's on a yellow card, commits a foul that should have been a second yellow (it was a late, reckless foul), but the referee doesn't show it.

55th min.: Panama goal, but it's disallowed! It's a GOLAZO, a bicycle kick by Anibal Godoy inside the box. It was a beauty, but after a long check the referee signals for an offside!

And the replays do show that Anibal Godoy was behind that last defender on the service into the box by Fidel Escobar.

53rd min.: Mexico chance! Great free kick from 25 yards out taken by Luis Chavez and his exquisite left foot. It's a great attempt, but Panama goalkeeper Luis Mejia reaches for the corner and parries it away. That's the Luis Chavez we know.

49th min.: A corner kick for each side to start the second half.

Mexico's corner came from another failed Uriel Antuna attack down the right. He has the speed to get by players, but his final decision-making and execution leave much to be desired.

46th min.: Second half is underway. No changes.

Halftime: Mexico 1-0 Panama

42nd min.: Mexico penalty shout. Santiago Gimenez goes down in the box on a challenge from Edgar Barcenas, who's playing as an emergency right-wingback. But it looked like a fair challenge.

37th min.: Chances! On both ends! First Memo Ochoa comes out of his box flailing at a ball, but Panama's Alberto Quintero can't take advantage as Mexico clear.

Then on the other end, the ball winds up on the feet of Ozziel Herrera, whose first-time shot is off the mark. He got a lucky bounce, and could not take advantage.

33rd min.: Penalty for Mexico? The ball seems to go off the hand of a Panamanian player, but it looks innocent. No penalty.

Meanwhile, Ozziel Herrera got a yellow for his role in the dust-up between teams after the Romo-Cummings tackle. Then Panama's Alberto Quintero gets a yellow for protests.

28th min.: Dust-up! Panama's Harold Cummings and Mexico's Luis Romo come together in midfield. Cummings went for the slide tackle, and Romo sends a pass forward and stomps down on Cummings' leg.

Romo gets a yellow card, but the Jamaican referee is looking at it again at the monitor for a potential red card for endangering the safety of an opponent. But the referee sticks with his original decision.

26th min.: Chance Panama! Ismael Diaz nearly gets to the ball in the Mexico box, but the ball deflects into the hands of Memo Ochoa.

17th min.: Mexico are getting some free runs into the attack. The spaces are there in the Panama backline if they can be organized enough to take advantage. Left-back Jesus Gallardo has been plenty involved.

8th min.: Chance Panama! What a save by Guillermo 'Memo' Ochoa! Alberto Quintero makes a run into the box, where he gets the ball and fires a diagonal shot that's tipped wide for a corner. Nothing comes of it.

4th min.: Goal Mexico! Uriel Antuna is fed down the right side of the box, and his cutback cross reaches left-back Jesus Gallardo, who places it perfectly. Mexico up 1-0.

1st min.: We're off. And we'll see if Mexico's players are conditioned by the size of the crowd on hand as the Mexican fans seem to turn their back on the team.

CHANCE Panama. And the first salvo comes from Panama! Alberto Quintero with the shot from outside the box that just misses the frame.

5 mins to kickoff: The teams are out on the field and anthems are playing with Panama going first. Not many fans around to sing the Mexican national team anthem.

1hr to kickoff: Lineups are out. No real surprises as Mexico ring in the changes.

1hr 30 mins to kickoff: Panama shocked the world by winning the Maurice Revello youth tournament earlier in the day, and they beat Mexico to do it,

Check out the list of teams who were part of this tournament (previously known as the Toulon Tournament):

Mexico vs Panama lineups

There's a lineup change (to a 4-3-3) and personnel changes all around. Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga are forced absences due to suspension after receiving a red card in the semifinal. Into the game as starters are Erick Sanchez, Luis Romo, Ozziel Herrera, Julian Araujo, and Johan Vasquez. 

Meanwhile, Alexis Vega is reportedly still struggling with a knee injury and could even miss the Gold Cup, but he's listed on the bench.

Mexico starting lineup (4-3-3): 13-Guillermo Ochoa (GK) — 2-Julian Araujo, 15-Israel Reyes, 5-Johan Vasquez, 23-Jesus Gallardo — 14-Erick Sanchez, 7-Luis Romo, 18-Luis Chavez — 21-Uriel Antuna, 11-Santiago Gimenez, 9-Ozziel Herrera

Mexico subs (10): 1-Jose Antonio Rodriguez (GK), 12-Luis Angel Malagon (GK), 19-Jorge Sanchez, 22-Victor Guzman, 16-Sebastian Cordova, 4-Edson Alvarez, 8-Carlos 'Charly' Rodriguez, 17-Orbelin Pineda, 10-Alexis Vega, 20-Henry Martin.

Left-back Eric Davis is suspended after his red card against Canada, and right-back Michael Amir Murillo has a hip injury that forced him off at halftime, and was not risked. Andres Andrade was also a late scratch due to injury. 

That all means Cesar Blackman started at left-wingback, Roderick Miller assumes one of the three center-back positions, and Edgar Barcenas will operate as the right-wingback.

Alberto Quintero and Jose Fajardo are back from suspension and slot right into the lineup.

Panama lineup (5-3-2, right to left): 1-Luis Mejia (GK) — 10-Edgar Barcenas, 3-Harold Cummings, 4-Fidel Escobar, 5-Roderick Miller, 2-Cesar Blackman — 19-Alberto Quintero, 20-Anibal Godoy, 8-Adalberto Carrasquilla — 11-Ismael Diaz, 17-Jose Fajardo

Panama subs (11): 22-Orlando 'Kuty' Mosquera (GK), 12-Cesar Samudio (GK), 14-Eduardo Anderson, 16-Andres Andrade, 23-Michael Murillo, 13-Freddy Gondola, 6-Cristian Martinez, 7-Jovani Welch, 9-Azarias Londono, 21-Cesar Yanis, 18-Cecilio Waterman

What time does Mexico vs Panama kick off?

The Mexico vs. Panama consolation match will be the early match of the Nations League doubleheader at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Date: Sunday, June 18
  • Time: 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT)

Despite the early afternoon 3 p.m. local start, the teams will be spared from the outdoor temperatures expected to reach 100 degree Fahrenheit. Allegiant Stadium has a roof and still has a natural grass surface which is wheeled in and out as needed.

If Mexico and Panama are level after 90 minutes, they will go to extra time, according to the official competition rules (page 22). If the stalemate persists, penalty kicks will follow.

The USA vs. Canada Nations League championship match is scheduled to follow at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT).

Mexico vs Panama live stream, TV channel

Here are the TV and streaming designations for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League third-place match in the USA and Canada: 

  • USA TV & streaming: Univision, TUDN, Fubo, Paramount+
  • Canada TV & streaming: Telus (Ch. 980), Fubo, OneSoccer.ca

USA: The Mexico vs. Panama match will be televised in Spanish by Univision and TUDN, with both channels streaming on Fubo, which is available to new users on a free trial.

CBS platform Paramount+ will carry the English-language stream for subscribers.

Canada: OneSoccer has the rights to the match in Canada, and its broadcast will be televised on Telus (Ch. 980) and streamed on Fubo, as well as on the web at OneSoccer.ca.

Mexico vs Panama odds

The betting market expects Mexico to bounce back in a big way, and likely with a clean sheet. Depending on your sportsbook, Mexico are given an implied probability of about 64 percent to win. 

The odds listed for a win or draw below are for the 90 minutes of regulation. 

  MEX
win		 Draw PAN
win		 Both teams
to score Y / N		 Over / Under
2.5 goals
BetMGM
(USA)		 -185 +280 +375 +100 / -140 -110 / -130
Sports
Interaction
(Canada)		 1.58 3.75 5.00 2.03 / 1.62 2.06 / 1.68

Simon Borg

Simon Borg Photo

Simon Borg is a senior editor at The Sporting News who has covered football/soccer for over a decade. A supporter of Italian club Parma Calcio from his years growing up in Europe, he was previously a long-time member of Major League Soccer's digital media team, as a multimedia content producer, on-air personality, and Editor-in-Chief. Based in New York City, Borg is multilingual and has covered the domestic and global scene for TSN since 2021.