Resources always have been key for Panama, whether it was the natural bounty that literally helped get the country put on the map in the early 20th century or the boom the country has seen in recent years as a business haven.
Panama's soccer team is seeing its own confluence, with a veteran core boasting years of international experience bolstered by younger players following in their footsteps. Colombian coach Hernan "Bollilo" Gomez has overseen the national team since early 2014 and has his playing style in place.
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For now, Los Caneleros have been CONCACAF's "nearly team," missing out on the 2014 World Cup because of an improbable mix of a Raul Jimenez bicycle kick in Mexico City and a late Graham Zusi goal in Panama City on the final day. But after frustrating with missing the world's biggest stage and a 2015 Gold Cup elimination that featured several refereeing decisions that still rankle, there are big hopes that 2017 will be the year Panama gets over the hump.
There's reason for the enthusiasm. While the spine of the team is aging, with goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, center back Felipe Baloy and forward Blas Perez all 35, there are other players at all ranks getting minutes with their clubs and excelling in national team showings. In defense, Roman Torres helped the Seattle Sounders to a MLS Cup title a year after suffering an ACL injury, but 22-year-old Fidel Escobar was even more impressive in Panama's November qualifiers. Escobar scored in the first match, a critical away win in Honduras, and also helped keep Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez in check in a home draw with Mexico.
Up top, Gabriel Torres provides a much quicker option than Perez, while Rolando Blackburn and Tony Taylor are on Gomez's Copa Centroamericana squad and will hope to show the manager they can contribute in the Hex as well.
Panama's Copa Centroamericana squad trained Monday, taking advantage of the chance to get training sessions together and play competitive matches ahead of March qualifiers against Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
Left back Eric Davis, who has struggled with injuries, also was cleared to play in the UNCAF tournament. His return to the field would give more width to a team that lined up with center backs at the outside back spot against Mexico.
Panama not only brings a strong team into the Copa Centroamericana, now a round-robin with a final stage after Guatemala was barred because of its FIFA ban, it also has home-field advantage. As Mexico can attest after November's qualifier, the Estadio Rommel Fernandez is a difficult place to play. Panama City can bring rain and humidity, while the fans in the ground are noisy and boisterous. But Panama should be a shoe-in to make it back to the Gold Cup and may be able to contend for the title.
There are obstacles in front of Panama in both the Copa and World Cup qualification - Costa Rica in both, being the main difficulty with the Ticos looking unstoppable in qualification and coming in as the reigning champion of the Centroamericana. But for the host, reaching the final might be enough to be considered a success. Panama has won the tournament once, beating Costa Rica on penalties in 2009, and finished runner-up to the Ticos two years earlier.
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The real prize, though, would be making the World Cup for the first time. Good results Copa Centroamericana and the Gold Cup would be welcomed, but there aren't references to those tournaments all over Panama's national team stadium. That's in contrast to the banner in Cyrillic hanging over the stadium's most passionate supporters.
To reach Russia and bring the country joy, Panama will have to slip into the top three over a team like (once again) Costa Rica, Mexico or the United States or lock up the fourth-place spot and get past an Asian team in a two-legged playoff. That would require finishing higher than Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago, something Panama could be on the way to doing after its win in San Pedro Sula.
It's well within the team's grasp, and if Gomez can make the most of the resources at hand, it could be a year to remember for Panama.
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