Panama will have a good reference to the Canadian attack led by Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies on Thursday, when the two teams face off for the bye to the CONCACAF Nations League final.

The brilliant forwards scored in Canada’s 4-1 victory over visiting Panama in the final World Cup qualifiers, a result that hit the Central Americans’ aspirations hard.

At the end of that octagon, Canada ended up qualifying Qatar first, followed by Mexico, the United States and Costa Rica, who snatched the playoff ticket from Canal’s team.

This setback was not forgotten by the Panamanians who, under the same coach, the Spanish Dane Thomas Christiansen, once again came up against the Canadian away team, who are aiming for their second final in a tournament for national teams. in the zone.

“The strongest thing about them is the attack,” said midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla. “But they also have mistakes on the defensive side, so we will try to be on the right footing and look for their weaknesses.”

Davis, from France’s Lille, and Davies, from Bayern Munich, are the main cards for the Canadian team called up for the Final Four, from which will emerge the champion of the second edition of the CONCACAF Nations League. The United States, the reigning monarch, meets Mexico on Friday in the other semi-final.

A good chunk of the Panamanian starters who faced the Canadians in that October 2021 win will be in Thursday’s clash in Las Vegas, with the exception of veteran midfielder Alberto Quintero, who will be serving a suspension for racking up cards.

As Canada seek their second final at a CONCACAF national team level tournament after 23 years—they won the Gold Cup in 2000—Panama are seeking their third after playing in the finals of this tournament in 2005 and 2013, in both trials won by the United States.

At the end of the octagonal past and already eliminated, Panama closed at home with a 1-0 victory over already classified Canada, but the wound remained open.