U.S. rallies past Panama into finals of Gold Cup

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — With just one regular in the starting lineup, the United States rallied past Panama into the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Kenny Cooper converted a penalty kick in the 105th minute, giving the two-time defending champions a 2-1 victory and a semifinal berth against Honduras, which beat Canada 1-0 in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Blas Perez put Panama ahead in first-half stoppage time, but Kyle Beckerman tied the score in the 49th.

In Sunday’s quarterfinal doubleheader, Guadeloupe meets Costa Rica and Mexico faces Haiti in the first sporting event at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium at Arlington, Texas. The semifinals are Thursday in Chicago.

Cooper was kicked in the gut by Panama’s Roman Torres as they went for the ball, and the penalty was awarded by Mexican referee Benito Archundia, who also worked Italy’s victory over Germany in the 2006 World Cup semifinals. Goalkeeper Jaime Penedo correctly dived to his right, but Cooper’s low kick went in off the post.

The Americans, who beat Honduras 2-0 in the first round, have not lost at home to an opponent from the North and Central American and Caribbean region since a 3-2 defeat to the Catrachos in a World Cup qualifier at Washington, D.C., in 2001. The U.S. won this tournament in 1991, 2002, 2005 and 2007, and the Americans haven’t failed to reach the semifinals since 2000, when they were defeated by Colombia on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals

Forward Brian Ching was the only regular on the field, with the others dispersed to their clubs or on vacation ahead of the European season.

Jimmy Conrad, U.S. captain for the game, left the field in the 44th minute after he was hit in the face, which drew blood.

Panama, which lost to the U.S. on penalty kicks in the 2005 Gold Cup final, went ahead when Perez scored about 45 seconds into stoppage time. He beat Troy Perkins with an acrobatic right-footed kick for his third goal of the tournament.

Beckerman tied the score after Davy Arnaud’s cross was cut back for him by Stuart Holden.

A crowd announced at 31,087 attended the doubleheader, with about 75 percent of the lower bowl full at Lincoln Financial Field and maybe 2,000 fans were scattered around the second level.