This match will have repercussions beyond the pitch. CONCACAF showed they were woefully inadequate dealing with almost every facet of on pitch conduct and spectator management. From players physically intimidating referee Mark Geiger to projectiles thrown from fans at the players endangering their safety.
Having said that, our hearts go out to Los Canaleros, playing a man short from the 25th minute onwards, who showed without a doubt they were the better side on the pitch. They put on a clinic, swarming the Mexicans, hurling themselves into tackles, intercepting passes, reducing Carlos Vela and Oribe Peralta into impotent footnotes. The sendoff of Luis Tejada flailing his elbow at Francisco Rodruiguez was a yellow card offence at best but Geiger saw it as a red. Tejada exited but not after Geiger was pushed and jostled by a number of enraged Panamanians. The Central Americans were handicapped without their talismanic striker Blas Perez out with an injury with Roberto Nurse taking his place.
The first half ended with the Mexicans unable to create any noteworthy chances as the Panamanians stifled any threatening overture quite comfortably. On the other hand, El Tri were pushed back into bouts of desperate defending as the effervescent Armando Cooper assisted by Anibal Godoy and Valentin Pimentel captured the midfield and counterattacked mercilessly.
The second half saw the Panamanians do more of the same and from a corner, big unit Roman Torres brushed aside Rodriguez as one would a rag doll to thunder the ball past Memo Ochoa. As the crumpled Rodriguez watched, their opponents celebrated deliriously, also unfortunately getting hit by debris thrown at them. El Tri stung by the goal brought in Carlos Equivel and their wunderkid Jesus Manuel Corona, as game changers, but Torres and the back line had all the right answers as Mexico failed to put in one single threatening shot on goal. This was going to be a Panama vs Jamaica final, the first not featuring Mexico or USA since 2003 when Canada beat Colombia.
The 88th minute changed all that when Torres races into the box to get to a dinked pass gets swiped at by Esquivel and falling clips the ball back. As he tries getting up half twisting to track its flight he stumbles and falls on the ball. There is first no clear evidence of an intentional handball, in fact, there is no real contact with his hand. Actually, Esquivel is guilty of fouling him. But Geiger is convinced its a penalty. And that is when it all boiled over. The Panamanians having fought so heroically against a side playing like anemics craving a blood transfusion exploded. Eleven minutes more passed as chaos ruled and debris rained down. When it was over, Andres Guardado, the only Mexican player with a spark saved the day for El Tri as he’s done so many times.
In extra time, there was yet another penalty as Harold Cummings clearly bumped Javier Orozco in the penalty area. This time there was little dispute with Geiger pointing to the spot. Once again, Guardado was johnny on the spot. The valiant and short handed Panamanians could not summon a comeback. Once the match was over they swarmed Geiger and the officiating crew which was poor behaviour.
Once again, the Mexicans needed a controversial penalty to break their opposition. And they are lucky they have such obliging referees. Their performances have been that insipid and stale.