Better Late than Never

Landon Donovan was the primary attacking catalyst for the U.S. in Saturday’s 1-0 Gold Cup Championship win over Panama on Sunday. (Photo: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz)

It took nearly 70 minutes, but the United States Men’s National Team made their first shot on goal count in a 1-0 win over Panama to claim their first Gold Cup championship since 2007.

Brek Shea converted an Alejandro Bedoya in the 69th minute, and Nick Rimando didn’t need to make a save as the U.S. lifted the Gold Cup trophy for the fifth time in tournament history.

U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was suspended for the match after he was ejected from Wednesday’s semifinal, watched the match from a stadium suite at Soldier Field.

The U.S. dominated the possession scale for much of the match, but that meant little in terms of creating chances. Panama kept numbers back, and were successful in clogging the lanes in front of Jaime Penedo.

While the U.S. was trying to figure out how break through the Panama’s back four, their ambitions took a blow in the 21st minute when Stuart Holden collided with Alberto Quintara in the midfield and had to come off with a sprained right knee.

A pair of half chances arrived in the closing moments of the first frame, as Clarence Goodson and Alejandro Bedoya were given space to shoot, but had their shots detoured by defenders inside the 18.

The U.S. tried to get on the board in the 48th minute when Landon Donovan sent a free kick that Goodson couldn’t get enough of his forehead on before it trailed wide of the far post.

Donovan shouted for a hand ball four minutes later after his cross from the right hit Carlos Rodriguez’s hand inside the 18. But referee Joel Aguilar didn’t see it that way, and the ball was cleared away.

The attacking struggles persisted for both clubs until the 69th minute, when Bedoya finally found sufficient space to send a ball to the far post. Donovan awkwardly put his foot on it, and sent it goalward before Shea ran on late to punch it in for good measure.

Panama’s only response was that of the lukewarm variety. Three minutes after Shea’s strike, Roberto Chin hit a shot near the edge of the area, but it died well wide of the left stick.