Panama vs Jamaica September 6, 2013 Prediction

The Panama vs Jamaica CONCACAF qualifying match will be played on Friday, September 6, 2013 at 7:00 PM Pacific at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama. Panama was only able to earn one point out of the three Hexagonal matches played over the summer, the Canaleros cannot afford to drop any points against Jamaica.

Panama is currently sitting in 5th place with 6 points, closely following Mexico (8 points) and Honduras (7 points), while Jamaica is in last place with 2 points. The top three teams in the Hexagonal will go on to participate in the World Cup, while the fourth placed team will play a playoff against New Zealand. If Panama wants to at least hope to earn the playoff spot, it must start off by defeating Jamaica.

Panama will be motivated by a home crowd that is expecting a win (Panama is undefeated at home), and by the positive momentum earned in the fantastic run in the Gold Cup. Panama defeated Mexico twice in the Gold Cup, earning the runner-up spot in the tournament. Now, Panama needs to translate that success to a victory over a weak Jamaican squad.

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Nonetheless, Panama might have a rough time due to the absence of some key players. Veteran leaders Felipe Baloy and Blas Perez will miss the match due to accumulation of yellow cards. Furthermore, Luis Tejada, who had been the go-to striker, was not even called up by coach Valdes, due to his recent bad form. Valdes has decided to use Gabriel Torres up front, a striker who scored five goals in the Gold Cup.

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On the other side of the pitch, we have a Jamaican squad that has struggled in the Hexagonal. Winfried Schafer was called on to replace Theodore Whitmore as Jamaica’s head coach. Schafer has the difficult task of turning around a weakened team that is desperate for points. If Jamaica wants to go to the World Cup, it must start by upsetting Panama.

Panama vs Jamaica Prediction

Panama has been quite good at home, defeating Honduras and earning draws against Costa Rica and Mexico. Now, they will face a demoralized Jamaican squad that is closer to elimination than qualification. Look for Panama to dominate possession, and come out with a slim victory. The absence of veterans Blas Perez and Baloy will hurt them a bit. The Panama vs Jamaica match will end in a 1-0 victory for the Canaleros.