As the United States men gear up for the October international break, they may be matched up against the team that dealt the deathblow at this past summer's Copa America.
Yet this month's pair of friendlies are about looking to the future not the past as the USMNT meets Panama in Austin on Saturday.
The debut of new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, not revenge for this summer's shocking defeat, is what everyone is buzzing about ahead of this match. The former Chelsea, PSG, and Tottenham manager is making his first appearance as USMNT head coach in this game, as the final details of his contract were not signed in time for him to take charge in September.
While the sting of July's defeat to Panama in Atlanta remains fresh, many of the key U.S. players who took part in that game, including red card scapegoat Tim Weah, are not on the USMNT roster as they recover from various injuries which seemed to strike at an inopportune time ahead of the new boss's first camp.
USA vs. Panama live stream, TV channel
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024
- Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
- TV channel: TNT, Telemundo, Universo
- Streaming: Max, Sling, Fubo, Peacock
The USMNT friendly against Panama can be accessed in a number of ways. The English-language broadcast of this match will be on TNT/Max, which can be streamed on Sling.
A Spanish-language broadcast can be found on either Telemundo or Universo, both of which can be accessed on Fubo, who are offering a free trial for new users. It can also be found on Peacock, as NBCUniversal places much of the company's Spanish-language content on their streaming platform.
What time is USA vs. Panama kickoff?
This international friendly kicks off from Q2 Stadium on Saturday, October 12 at 8 p.m. local time in Austin, TX.
Here's how that time translates across the time zones in North America:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Oct. 12 | 9 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Oct. 12 | 8 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Oct. 12 | 7 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Oct. 12 | 6 p.m. |
MORE: USMNT full schedule, results, highlights for 2024 calendar year
USA vs. Panama lineups & team news
There are a host of USMNT regulars absent for this October international break, making life difficult on Mauricio Pochettino in his first camp. Sergino Dest continues to recover from his ACL tear just before the summer, and Tyler Adams will return soon from his back injury but isn't quite ready for international duty yet.
Chris Richards does not appear due to a hamstring injury suffered days before the roster release, Gio Reyna has yet to return from his latest muscle injury picked up in USMNT training last month, and Cameron Carter-Vickers picked up a slight injury just before the break.
Tim Weah withdrew from the squad as he's not quite ready to return from his hamstring injury yet, while Folarin Balogun and Johnny Cardoso were both pulled as well after suffering new injuries, with Balogun dislocating his shoulder just before leaving for camp.
USA projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Turner (GK) — Scally, M. Robinson, Ream, A. Robinson — McKennie, Morris, Musah — Pulisic, Sargent, Wright.
Midfielder Jovani Welch, who filled in for a suspended Adalberto Carrasquilla in the Copa America defeat to Colombia, is absent from the Panama roster due to broken leg.
Veteran defender Fidel Escobar missed the Copa America due to a muscle injury but has returned to the fold, along with captain Anibal Godoy who was also absent this summer with an injury. Players to be dropped from the fold after the Copa America include veteran goalkeeper Luis Mejia, midfielder Cesar Yanis, and forward Ismael Diaz.
Panama projected starting lineup (3-4-3): Mosquera (GK) — F. Escobar, Cordoba, Miller — Murillo, Carrasquilla, C. Martinez, Davis — Blackman, Fajardo, Barcenas.
USA vs. Panama prediction, betting odds & lines
- Score prediction: USA 2-1 Panama
Mauricio Pochettino's first game in charge will bring a lot of change for the USMNT, and thus some growing pains, but there are enough talented players in the mix to see the match out at home, especially in the attacking unit.
The exceptional form of Christian Pulisic, who continues to shine for AC Milan to begin the year, will carry the day as Haji Wright and Josh Sargent also bring their strong club performances to the national team side. Defending is still an issue, however, and it's likely that Panama will find at least a goal in this match as the hosts get a grip on their new boss's tactical approach.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >
