Panama has named its 25-man squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals, with a clear bet on youth in attack. Manager Thomas Christiansen has included 19-year-old forwards Kadir Barría and Josué Vergara for the two-legged tie against Curacao.
The first leg will be played on November 12 in Willemstad, with the return match scheduled for November 15 in Panama City. The winner of this playoff will qualify for the tournament's Final Four, to be held in Los Angeles from March 25-28, 2027, and will also secure direct entry to the 2027 Gold Cup.
Christiansen, who recently extended his contract with the federation until 2030, explained the thinking behind this squad selection. "The most important thing is to compete," the manager said.
The team arrives for this tie on a run of three consecutive draws in its most recent matches, all played during an October tour of Asia. The most recent was a 1-1 draw with Ecuador on October 5, a match in which Josué Vergara scored one of Panama's goals. The side also drew 1-1 with New Zealand and India. This three-game unbeaten streak provides a platform of stability heading into the playoff. The match against Ecuador finished 1-1 after regulation, with Vergara opening the scoring in the 38th minute. Amir Murillo, Carlos Harvey, Rafael Mosquera, and César Blackman also scored from the penalty spot for Panama in the shootout. Previously, in the 1-1 draw with New Zealand on October 1, Panama's goals came from Dylan Herbert, Amir Murillo, Carlos Harvey, and Víctor Griffith.
The squad also features experienced figures like midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla of Pumas UNAM and full-back Amir Murillo of Besiktas, who has shown his scoring touch from the spot in recent fixtures. The national team's next official fixture is the away trip to Curacao on Saturday 13 November, which will kick off the quarterfinal playoff.
