EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jaime Penedo made the clinching save in the ninth round to give Panama a 6-5 victory on penalty kicks after its CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal against Trinidad and Tobago ended tied 1-1 following extra time Sunday.
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Panama, technically, hasn’t won a game at the Gold Cup, drawing all four 1-1. Gabriel Torres, Abdiel Arroyo, Armando Cooper and Harold Cummings also scored during the shootout to help lift Panama to victory.
Panama and Trinidad and Tobago had to settle the game in penalties.
The United States faces Jamaica in the other semi-final of North America’s biennial regional football championship.
Radanfah Abu Bakr and Sheldon Bateau both failed to clear their lines from a cross, with the latter’s mistake presenting Tejada with the opportunity to poke the ball beyond goalkeeper Marvin Phillip from 10 yards out.
Perez had a chance in the opening seconds of second half stoppage time, speeding past Bateau to collect a centering pass in the penalty area, but booted his shot wide of the far post. But Perez’s volley sailed across the goal and just wide.
Still, the Soca Warriors equalized on Kenwyne Jones’ header off a Khaleem Hyland free kick in the 54th minute.
One minute later, Blas Perez almost restored Panama’s lead on the immediate counterattack, but he directed his shot straight at Phillip, keeping the match even.
Penedo then went back inside the woodwork and dove to his left on Peltier’s shot. Neither team could find a goal for the rest of regulation nor 30 minutes of extra time, resulting in the shootout.
Phillip gave Trinidad and Tobago a chance to win with another save in the seventh round, but Cyrus couldn’t convert.
Penedo, the 33-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy netminder who was voted 2005 and 2013 Gold Cup Goalkeeper of the Tournament, made two saves during the shoot-out, the decisive one set up by team-mate Valentin Pimentel’s goal to start the ninth round.
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Trinidad and Tobago was the surprise victor of Group C after scoring four minutes into second-half stoppage time to tie Mexico 4-4 in its final group stage match.
