The Panamanian swimmer Edgar Crespo won the much awaited gold medal at the X Central American Games currently taking place in San Jose, Costa Rica, by winning the 50 meter breaststroke on Wednesday 13 March.

Crespo, 23 years old, also set a new regional record in this event, clocking 28.00 seconds.

"I was totally relaxed and focused and things developed as expected," Crespo said after the victory, revalidating the title he won in 2010, when the Games were held in Panama.

The Honduran Jesus Flores (29.95) and the Nicaraguan Andrei Kulyk (30.01) took the silver and bronze respectively.

For his part, the Panamanian Alexander Keller also took the gold medal in the 200 meter individual medley (freestyle, butterfly, back and chest), with a time of 4 minutes 42.31 seconds. (Mi Diario)

Canada will have to come out of a very tough group if it hopes to make a run at its second CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer title this summer.

Canada was drawn into Group A with Mexico, Panama and Martinique on Wednesday.

Mexico is a regional power which has won six Gold Cup titles, including the last two.

Panama was the runner-up at the 2005 tournament and has a history of big results against Canada. Panama prevented Canada from advancing out of the group stage at the 2011 Gold Cup when Luis Tejada’s goal in injury time salvaged a 1-1 draw.

Panama also handed Canada a costly 2-0 defeat in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

Martinique qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2006 Gold Cup with a win and a draw, but failed to win a game in either of its other two appearances.

Canada’s first game is July 7 against Martinique at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Canada faces Mexico on July 11 in Seattle and finishes the group stage July 14 against Panama in Denver. The last match is shaping up to be a crucial one, as Canada will have to finish at least second in the group to advance to the knockout stages

Canada won its only Gold Cup title in 2000 and finished third in 2002 and 2007.

Honduras, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti are in Group B.

The United States, Costa Rica, Belize and Cuba make up Group C.

The final will be held July 28 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. (The Canadian Press)

By Andrew Marchand - TAMPA, Fla. -- Playing for the first time since injuries ended their 2012 seasons, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter not only returned to game action together, but they did it in style.

Saturday, after Rivera officially announced he would retire from baseball following the 2013 season, he took the mound for the first time since he tore his ACL last May.

In the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves, the 43-year-old Rivera retired the side in order, striking out the final two batters he faced, Juan Francisco and Chris Johnson. Both looked at third strikes.

"It was great to be on the mound again," a smiling Rivera said. "I feel wonderful. Everything went well."

Rivera threw his cutter as hard as 91 mph, while throwing 15 pitches, eight of which were strikes.

Leading off the bottom of the first, Jeter smacked the first pitch he saw from Atlanta Braves lefty Mike Minor into left field for a single.

"It is good to be back out there," Jeter said.

The ensuing batter, Ichiro Suzuki, grounded into a forceout at second. Jeter slid into the base without incident.

In the third, Jeter grounded out to third. He ran hard to first, but said he did not go full-out down the basepath.

Jeter returned from a dislocated ankle, sustained in Game 1 of October's American League Championship Series. After a final checkup earlier this week, he declared his ankle 100 percent healthy on Friday.

"Now, it is just normal spring training," Jeter said.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi likes to be cautious with players returning from injuries. Jeter said he thought he would DH one more game before playing shortstop. Jeter will not play in Sunday's game. He will likely DH again on Monday when the Yankees host the St. Louis Cardinals.

For Rivera, the day began with a 10 a.m. news conference to announce his retirement. He said the only time he nearly got emotional was when he saw all of his Yankee teammates file in.

"What almost got me was seeing the whole team there," Rivera said. "That was wonderful that Joe allowed all the guys to be there. I was shocked."

When he entered in the fifth, the loudspeakers blared with "Enter Sandman" and ended with Rivera looking like he could pitch forever.

"It is wonderful," Rivera said.

Rivera received standing ovations when he came to the mound and when he left after the three outs.

"Those are the most beautiful fans there is in baseball," Rivera said. "You talk about New York Yankee fans, those are great fans." (ESPN)

Panama City - The great rivalry between champion boxers Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto "Hands of Stone" Duran will be depicted in a documentary, filmmaker Eric Drath said here.

"The rivalry between Leonard and Duran was so great, it was like a Super Bowl, so there's a good opportunity to talk about both athletes," said Drath Monday at a press conference, where both former boxers were also present.

The two men faced each other in three title bouts during in the 1980s.

Panama's Duran won the first fight on a decision in 15 rounds in Montreal, but the American defeated him in the next two bouts in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

Drath said the filming will be done both in the US and Panama.

The director made it clear that his work has no relationship with the Hollywood feature film on Duran that is expected to be filmed this year starring Gael Garcia Bernal as the boxer.

Leonard, 57, said he was very happy to be in Panama, a country he is visiting for the first time, where both Duran and the Panamanians have been great hosts to him.

The 61-year-old Duran, meanwhile, joked that he was at the press conference because he wanted a fourth fight with Leonard.

PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Kevin Foley won the Web.com Tour's season-opening Panama Claro Championship on Sunday for his first tour title, holing a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Mathew Goggin.

The 25-year-old former Penn State player closed with a 3-under 67 in 93-degree heat to finish at 8-under 272 at Panama Golf Club. He earned $108,000.

"It you had told me a year ago that I'd be standing here, I probably wouldn't have believed you," Foley said. "I'd take it, but I wouldn't believe it. A lot has happened in a year."

Goggin had a bogey, double bogey and triple bogey in his final-round 70. The 2010 champion had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie at the 465-yard 18th, but settled for par after his second shot went into a greenside bunker.

"I played really poorly for 13 holes," said Goggin, from Australia. "I wasn't playing particularly well, but I was hanging in there. You're just waiting for one or two holes or one or two shots to get you going and then instead of a good one you have the absolute worst one."

Foley began the round tied for second, two strokes behind Goggin.

"I knew it was going to be a shootout today because there were a bunch of guys lined up to start the day," Foley said. "It wasn't the windiest day but with tough pin positions and the course getting firmer, I knew I just had to play smart and steady all day."

Scott Brown shot a 66 to finish third at 6 under, and Scott Dunlap (68), Len Mattiace (69) and Roland Thatcher (71) followed at 4 under. Jordan Spieth (66) and Bobby Gates (72) were 3 under. The 19-year-old Spieth turned professional in December after one year at the University of Texas.

The tournament opened the tour's 24th season. The Colombia Championship is next week, followed by the Chile Classic. The U.S. schedule begins March 21-24 with the Louisiana Open. (AP)

The Sports Network - Mark Anderson and Andrew Loupe both carded 6-under 64s Thursday and share a 1-stroke lead after the opening round of the Panama Claro Championship.

Anderson played a full season on the PGA Tour last year, but was unable to keep his card. Loupe has played seven Web.com Tour events over the last two years and made the cut in four of them.

James Nitties carded a 5-under 65 at Club de Golf de Panama and was joined in third place by Peter Tomasulo and Dae-Hyun Kim.

Scott Harrington, Chris Wilson and Kevin Foley are one stroke further back at minus-4.

Anderson, who was in the first group out, played the front nine first. He opened with a birdie at the first, but gave that stroke right back with a bogey at the second. He caught fire from there.

The 27-year-old birdied the third to get back into red figures. Anderson followed with four consecutive birdies from the fourth to jump to minus-5.

Anderson also birdied the ninth to turn at 6-under. He picked up another birdie at the 12th, but stumbled to a bogey on No. 16. Anderson parred the final two holes.

"On the front nine, I made everything. Putts from all over the greens, from 10 to 30 feet. When that starts happening, you just let it roll," Anderson stated. "There's no need to second-guess your lines and figure out your speed."

Loupe started on the back nine and ran off three straight birdies from the 11th. After a trio of pars, Loupe birdied the 17th to make the turn at minus-4.

The 24-year-old faltered to a bogey at the second. Loupe responded with back- to-back birdies at four and five. He rolled in his final birdie of the day at the par-4 seventh.

"I worked hard on my game during the offseason. I put in a lot of time on my game and in the gym to get ready for this year. It's an honor to be out here on this tour," Loupe stated. "Hopefully, there won't be anymore Monday qualifying out here for me. I didn't take advantage of the chances I had last year. It's just nice to have a place to play."

NOTES: Anderson is the sixth player to shoot 29 on the front nine at this event ... Tomasulo, Kim and Clodomiro Carranza had the only bogey-free rounds ... There are three former major champions in the field this week -- Rich Beem (67), Todd Hamilton (69) and Shaun Micheel (73) ... Defending champion Edward Loar is tied for 71st at 2-over 73.

The selection of Panama (men's national soccer team) rose four raking positions in the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

The team now occupies position step number 42, just below Mexico (15) and the United States (32).

In the team's last performance they tied Costa Rica 1-1 in the first game of the fourth round of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The top ranked team in the world is still Spain, second is Germany, followed by Argentina (3), England (4), Italy (5), Portugal (6), Colombia (7), the Netherlands (8), Croatia (9) and Russia (10). (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: This story missed the real headline. Being ranked at #42 in the world is the highest ranking Panama has ever achieved, since the FIFA ranking system was created in August 1993, almost 20 years ago. Then Panama didn't break into the top 100 teams in the world until March 2005, when they were ranked at #97. The first time there were ranked in the top 50 teams was a brief, one month appearance at #50 in February 2009, after which they quickly fell back into the 60's and 70's. As recently as August of 2010 they were ranked at #97 but have steadily improved since. They broke back into the top 50 in December 2011 and have pretty much stayed in the lower 50's and upper 40's since. And this month's ranking at #42 is a new record for the team. The prognosis for next month is good, with the possibility of moving up once again to the #40 spot. Consider this - 32 teams qualify for the FIFA World Cup and Panama has never qualified. The qualification format allows for the possibility of four teams from the CONCACAF to go (three direct, one after a playoff with Oceania). Of the six teams currently participating in the "hex" Panama is ranked third behind the US and Mexico. So, all things being equal, Panama "should" be able to beat the other teams in the Hex and advance, right?

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Panama went up to a 2-0 lead early in the match, which melted away to 2-1 by halftime. Then towards the end of the game Costa Rica scored again, and the game ended with a 2-2 tie.

Yesterday afternoon Honduras beat the United States 2-1 in Honduras. Mexico played Jamaica to a 0-0 tie. So after the first three games of the "hex" yesterday, Honduras has three points and is alone in first place. Panama, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica all have one point, and the United States is alone in the basement with zero.

What a blown opportunity. Everyone in Panama is walking around with a bad taste in their mouths this morning. If Panama can't beat Costa Rica at home, then they probably don't deserve a trip to the World Cup. They got what they deserved - one stinking point for a weakly played tie. Crap...

Copyright 2013 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Don't forget to follow Panama Guide on Twitter. Salud.

On Sunday 3 February 2013 more than 700 athletes will participate for the second time in the Ironman 70.3 Panama, so drivers should take alternate routes. (more)

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Goals scored by Blas Perez in the 27th minute of the first half, Alcibiades Rojas in minute 54 and "Negrito" Quintero in minute 58 gave Panama a 3-1 victory over Guatemala 3-1 in the Nations Cup.

With this result, Panama won the last ticket for the Gold Cup.

"We would have liked to have gone much further in the tournament, but we were able to obtain the qualification to the Gold Cup, which was essential," said striker Blas Perez after the match.

Now the team returns to the country and will begin to prepare for the start of the Hexagonal on 6 February 2013, where Panama will have his first test against Costa Rica at the Rommel Fernandez stadium in Panama City.

Editor's Comment: There are two things going on here. First of all, with this victory over Guatemala, Panama ended up in Fifth place in the Central American "Nations Cup," With this finish, they will now go forward to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Of the seven teams that participated in the Central American tournament, Nicaragua and Guatemala were eliminated, while Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize, and Panama advanced to the Gold Cup. The 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup will be the 12th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition and 22nd CONCACAF regional championship overall in CONCACAF's fifty years of existence. The United States will be the host nation. The competition is scheduled to begin on July 7, 2013 and the final will take place on July 28, 2013.

At the same time, Panama is also trying to qualify for a position to participate in the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Panama has never (ever) qualified for the World Cup, and hopes are high this time around. Panama has made it to the fourth and final round of qualifications and are in the "hex" or final six teams. Of those, the top three teams earn a direct ticket to the World Cup. The team finishing in Fourth placed team will advance to a play-off against the winner of the Oceania qualifiers. The six teams in the "hex" are the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama. Panama's first game in the "hex" is on 6 February 2013 at home in Panama City against Costa Rica. And honestly, if Panama expects to earn a place at the World Cup they need to be able to beat teams like Honduras, Costa Rica, and Jamaica convincingly and with regularity, both at home and on the road. The two "big dogs" - Mexico and the United States - are almost guaranteed to get the first two tickets. The remaining four teams will be fighting for the last two places. This time around Panama has a shot, best they have ever had...

BY ADAM WELLS (FEATURED COLUMNIST) for Bleacherreport.com - The Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves have pulled off a blockbuster trade that sends Justin Upton and Chris Johnson to Atlanta for left fielder/third baseman Martin Prado, pitcher Randall Delgado, shortstop Nick Ahmed and pitcher Zeke Spruill, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

Editor's Comment: Randall Delgado is a Panamanian pitcher who is about to enter his third season in the Major Leagues. (End Comment)

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that first baseman Brandon Drury will also be included in the deal, going from Arizona to Atlanta.

The key piece to the deal for the Diamondbacks is Delgado. The soon-to-be 23-year-old pitcher has spent parts of the last two seasons in the majors, compiling a 3.95 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 127.2 innings pitched.

Here is a full look at the scouting report for Delgado as he moves from the Braves to the Diamondbacks.

Background

Delgado will turn 23 years old on Feb. 9. He was called up to the big leagues in 2011, throwing 35 innings in seven starts during his brief run. He also had 18 strikeouts, 14 walks and a 2.83 ERA.

The Braves signed Delgado out of Panama in 2006 when he was 16 years old. He spent four seasons from 2008 to 2011 in the minor leagues. He also spent time in the minors in 2012, throwing 44.1 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Last July, when the Braves were exploring trade options, there was talk that Delgado would be dealt to the Chicago Cubs for Ryan Dempster, but Dempster used his no-trade rights to veto the deal.

Scouting Report

Delgado uses a three-pitch mix that includes a low- to mid-90s fastball, curveball and changeup. He is still trying to develop consistency with his offspeed pitches and command his fastball in the strike zone.

The biggest issue throughout his career has been his ability to throw strikes. He has walked more than 3.5 batters per nine innings pitched in all but one season (2010), including the minors.

Delgado's fastball has good velocity, there isn't a lot of movement to it and he leaves it up in the zone. That leads to a lot of flyballs and home runs, as evidenced by the 13 he has given up in just 127.2 innings.

Delgado's changeup and curveball still need work. The curveball is his best offspeed pitch, though he doesn't have a consistent feel for it. It can be a good swing-and-miss weapon when it is right.

The development of Delgado's changeup, as well as his command, is going to determine his future role. He doesn't have huge platoon splits right now, though left-handed hitters do have a .352 on-base percentage against him.

If he can at least develop an average changeup, Delgado could turn into a solid No. 4 starter at his peak. If the changeup doesn't come along, he could end up as a valuable setup man.

The difference in value between those two roles is huge, so the Diamondbacks are counting on Delgado putting the whole package together.

What They Are Saying

Prior to the start of the 2012 season, Delgado was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Braves organization by Baseball America.

In his report on Baseball America's site (subscription required), Bill Ballew wrote that Delgado's delivery is clean but his arm action tends to change from pitch to pitch.

That change in Delgado's delivery would explain the inconsistent results throughout his career, as hitters can get a better look at the ball out of his hand when he is not hiding it as well as he can when he is on.

Looking Toward The Future

Delgado will likely start the season battling for a spot in the back of Arizona's starting rotation. The team has plenty of pitching depth, though there are a lot of question marks.

Trevor Cahill, Patrick Corbin and Ian Kennedy are locks for the top three spots. Brandon McCarthy will get one of the other two spots after signing with the Diamondbacks in the offseason.

Daniel Hudson will also be returning later this season, likely around the All-Star break, after undergoing Tommy John surgery last July.

That leaves Delgado and Tyler Skaggs as the two most likely candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. Skaggs is the better prospect, but he could use more time in the minors if Arizona doesn't think he is ready. He has made just nine starts at Triple-A.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Yesterday Panama played Honduras to a 1-1 draw, and now faces possible elimination from upcoming Gold Cup competition.

The best Panama can possibly do is Fifth Place in the Central American cup, which is currently being played in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The top five teams advance to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and Panama will be fighting for their lives on Friday afternoon against Guatemala.

In the Groups Stage both Panama and Guatemala tied all of their matches. El Salvador advanced to the semi finals thanks to the luck of the draw (literally), and the result of that draw placed Panama in third place in Group B, meaning they now have to face off against Guatemala for a spot to advance.

The defending Central American Cup Champions Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica, and El Salvador are still playing in the semi finals, and all four have a shot to win the tournament.

Seven teams participated, and so far only Nicaragua has been eliminated from the Gold Cup. The loser of the match between Panama and Guatemala will be the other eliminated team, while five will advance.

Panama has appeared in six Central American Cup competitions since 1991. They have appeared in all four tournaments since 2005, winning in 2009. The tournament has been dominated by Costa Rica, who have won six times (1991, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007). Honduras has one three times (1993, 1995, 2011) and Guatemala once (2001).

Copyright 2013 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Don't forget to follow Panama Guide on Twitter. Salud.

The Panamanian Football Federation announced today a special six day sale during which fans will be able to buy individual tickets for the upcoming qualifying match between Panama and Costa Rica on 6 February at the Rommel Fernandez stadium.

The press release says fans can take advantage of this special sale starting tomorrow until 1 January.

Those interested can purchase tickets at Metro pharmacies, through Ticket Plus, Titan stores and in all ePagos.

Price of tickets by location:

South General B /. 15.00

North General B /. 15.00

Preferential East B /. 35.00

Preference West B /. 45.00

VIP West (Chairs) B /. 75.00

Parking B /. 10.00

Editor's Comment: Panama qualified for the "hex" or fourth and final round in the CONCACAF - trying to earn a spot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. It's important to note that Panama has never qualified or participated in a World Cup. There are six teams in the "hex" or fourth round - United States, Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. These six teams will play a total of thirty games starting on 6 February and ending on 15 October 2013. The format is head to head - home and away. So every team will play the other five teams in the "hex" twice, once on the road and once at home, for a total of ten games.

Points are awarded as three for a win, one for a tie, and zero for a loss. The top three qualifiers advance straight to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The fourth place finisher has to play for the final spot and will advance to a play-off against the winner of the Oceania qualifiers. The United States and Mexico will almost certainly win the first two qualification spots. The real fight will be between Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Jamaica for the third and fourth spots. The fifth and six place teams will be eliminated. Panama really needs to secure a quick three points against Costa Rica at home in the opener.

The representative from the six national associations met together on 19 October 2012, but could not agree on the schedule for the fourth round. The draw for the fixtures was conducted by CONCACAF and FIFA on 7 November 2012, in Miami Beach, United States.

6 February 2013 16:00 (EST) Honduras v United States Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula

6 February 2013 - 19:00 (EST) Mexico v Jamaica Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

6 February 2013 - 20:00 (EST) Panama v Costa Rica Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The IOC says the democratic election of Panama's national Olympic committee is an "historic milestone" that removes the threat of suspension.

The International Olympic Committee says Sunday's election of Camilo Amado as new president of the Panama committee took place in a "democratic and transparent manner" in the presence of IOC observers.

The election follows a process initiated by the IOC to ensure an independent makeup of the national body.

The IOC warned Panama in March that it faced possible suspension for government interference in the affairs of the Olympic body. Two weeks ago, the IOC suspended India for political interference.

The IOC says Sunday's election is an "historic milestone in the conflict situation which the Olympic movement in Panama has faced for several years."

The statement says the IOC hopes the result will "pave the way for a bright future for the athletes and for sport in general in Panama." (AP)

The Panamanian Major League Baseball star Mariano Rivera visited several children at the Children's Hospital in Panama City this morning.

Rivera, who first met with the director of the medical center, Paul Gallardo Sossa, signed several autographs for the children and greeted them pleasantly.

The New York Yankees closer arrived in Panama for the inauguration of the World Baseball Classic, which begins tonight at the Rod Carew Stadium, with the match between the teams from Panama and Brazil.

Rivera said he wanted to play for the Panamanian National Baseball team in the World Baseball Classic, but he could not because of the injury to this leg.

Rivera told local medial he's 90% recovered, and the recovery process is going very well.

Rivera had surgery on his right knee, so he could not continue last season in the majors with his team.

The athlete, who is originally from Puerto Caimito, said Panama has a good chance of qualifying for the world baseball tournament.

When asked if the Boston Red Sox still have any interest in signing him, Rivera said he didn't know.

Rivera will have the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the World Baseball Classic at the Rod Carew Stadium tonight. (Prensa)

The Panamanian Men's National Football Team is ready to face off against Spain this afternoon, the reigning world champion and two-time champions of the Euro Cup. The game will be played at 4:30 pm this afternoon, at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium in Panama City.

The arrival yesterday of the Spanish team with their full constellation of stars has made ​​a big impact among the fans, who will have a chance to see the likes of Andrés Iniesta, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and David Villa, among many others.

Julio Cesar Dely Valdes, the coach of the Panamanian team, cataloged Spain as "the best team in history" and he said the opportunity to play against a team like this is "a reward" for all his players and the fans will appreciate it.

The last time Spain faced a team from Central America was when they drew against Costa Rica (2-2) in 2011. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: The Panamanian government has shut down all public offices at 2:30 pm this afternoon, so people can have a chance to get home to watch the game on television.

MADRID (AP) - Juan Mata was summoned by Spain for next week's friendly against Panama but not his Chelsea teammate Fernando Torres.

Barcelona back Martin Montoya and Athletic Bilbao forward Markel Susaeta were also recalled to the 19-man squad by coach Vicente del Bosque on Friday.

''We have the obligation to little by little give chances to our under-21 players and that's why we decided to bring Montoya,'' Del Bosque said. ''And, even though he doesn't fit in that profile, we also brought Susaeta, who is playing well and comes from an historic club.

''They represent many players that we want to call up, but we can't bring everyone.''

Spain plays at Panama's Rommel Fernandez Stadium on Wednesday, its first match since seeing its qualifying record of 24 straight wins broken by its 1-1 draw with France. Atletico Madrid defender Juanfran Torres, whose lost ball led to France's late equalizer, has been retained.

Del Bosque also left off regular members Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Alvaro Arbeloa and Pepe Reina.

Spain is level on points with France at the top of Europe's Group I in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where it hopes to seek an unprecedented fourth major title in a row.

Spain:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Defenders: Martin Montoya (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich).

Midfielders: Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Benat Etxebarria (Real Betis).

Forwards: David Villa (Barcelona), Markel Susaeta (Athletic Bilbao), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Roberto Soldado (Valencia), Juan Mata (Chelsea).

The fixtures for the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ are now set, following the Official Draw in Miami, USA on Wednesday 7 November. The final six-team group, also known as the Hexagonal, will be played over ten matchdays between February and October 2013.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA begin their campaign with a tricky road test in Honduras on 6 January at San Pedro Sula’s Estadio Olimpico, the very same ground where the Catrachos dismantled Canada 8-1 in their last qualifying game.

The good news for the Americans is that they avoid a midsummer trip to Mexico’s steamy Estadio Azteca. Instead, they will travel to their arch-rivals from south of the border in their third game on 26 March.

“We’ve got to go to places like Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras with the mentality that you are spot-on once you get on the field,” said Klinsmann. “I think that if the players are aware of that like they were the last two, three games, when they got the job done, then we will also qualify for Brazil in 2014.”

Reigning CONCACAF and Olympic champions Mexico, who finished the semi-final round of Brazil 2014 qualifying with a perfect record in their six games, open their Hexagonal account against Jamaica in Mexico City.

Central American giants Costa Rica meet neighbours Panama in Panama City in their first game.

“After a very exciting third round in the CONCACAF qualifiers we are very much looking forward to the last stage to begin,” said FIFA Head of World Cup and Olympic Qualifying Gordon Savic, who was on hand for the event in the US state of Florida.

The top three finishers from the final round will qualify automatically for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, while the fourth-place finisher will play off home and away against a team from the Oceania zone.

Hexagonal Schedule: (more)

In a decisive match at the Nimibutr Stadium, Iran made sure of second place in Group B in a thrilling encounter as they defeated Panama 4-3 at Nimibutr Stadium.

Before the game, only one point separated the respective teams. Both knew that a win would secure a place in the next round, so it was a predictably nervy encounter.

Iran took the lead in the fourth minute when Ali Hassanzadeh’s shot cannoned off the post and fell kindly for Ahmad Esmaeilpour whose first-time shot flew into the net.

Two minutes later, Panama drew level when Apolinar Galvez’s cheeky back heel found Claudio Goodridge who fired home a powerful shot.

The west Asians regained the upper hand as the half drew to a close. Afshin Kazemi put them back in front with a well-worked goal and Mohammad Taheri gave them a two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time.

With five minutes to go Panama were literally handed a lifeline. Hamid Ahmadi’s handball in the box gave them a penalty and Carlos Perez made no mistake from the resulting spot-kick.

Understandably, Panama were pushing for the equaliser but in doing so left gaps at the back, which Iran were able to exploit. Taheri grabbed his second of the evening with a powerful shot, but the side from CONCACAF refused to give up.

They made it 4-3 with just 39 seconds on the clock when Alquis Alvarado netted and there was still drama to come when Mostafa Nazari saved in the final second to ensure Iran made it through to finish as Group F’s second placed team.

However, there was some consolation for Panama as they too qualified for the knockout phase as one of the best third placed teams. (Fifa.com)

Editor's Comment: So Panama has survived (barely) the Groups Stage, and has advanced to the "Round of 16" at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012. As one of the third place teams that barely squeaked by the Groups Stage, they will be facing one of the most powerful teams in their next match, probably Brazil or Spain.

The veteran first baseman Carlos Lee of the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz top the list of 28 players who will represent Panama in the qualifying tournament of the World Baseball Classic, it was reported today.

The Panamanian team manager, Lino Diaz said on the list from the big leagues also appear Ruben Tejada and Manuel Acosta, both of the New York Mets, as well as the former big leagues players Ruben Rivera, Ramiro Mendoza, and Jose Macias.

Also, Luis Durango and Manuel Corpas, who played this season in the majors with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs, respectively.

The qualifying tournament will be held from 15 to 19 November 2012, and will be played at the Rod Carew Stadium in Panama City, with teams from Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua and Panama, which will fight for the only spot in the World Baseball Classic, to be played in March 2013.

"The players are looking forward to winning, they are in good condition and ready for the tournament," said Diaz.

Diaz said the cut was made ​​yesterday after a meeting between manager Roberto Kelly and his assistants, including the former Cleveland Indians catcher Einar Diaz. (Prensa)

Panama turned around a 3-1 half-time deficit to run out 8-3 winners in Group B’s first encounter at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012.

Both teams were making their debuts in this competition and it was the Africans who started the brightest, taking the initiative from the beginning thanks to the prompting of their inspirational captain Yahya Baya. Indeed, it was his strong left-footed shot which was eventually turned in by Yahya Jabrane on the seventh minute to give his side the lead.

Morocco went 2-0 up in a fortunate manner five minutes later when Fernando Mena’s clearance rebounded off Aziz Derrou and bouncing straight into the net. Adil Habil made it three without reply through a penalty kick before Carlos Perez gave his side some hope seconds before half-time.

The goal gave his side the boost they needed. Panama were quick off the blocks following the restart. Miguel Lasso began the rout just 90 seconds after the interval. Less than a minute later, Mena restored parity with a close range finish.

From then on, it was a one-sided encounter which saw Panama use their pace to excellent advantage. Lasso, Mena, Apolinar Galvez, Oscar Hinks and Claudio Goodridge all profited from counter attacks to see the side from CONCACAF record a historic win.

The quotes - "We knew, that it would be difficult to play against Panama. They are better than us, and they were well prepared. We wanted to hold the result but our players lack experience. But the first half showed us that we are a good team, and we will go into the next two games without a complex," Hicham Dguig, Morocco coach .

"In the first half my team did not respond to the tactics we discussed before the match, and the Morocco keeper was in excellent form. But we made a little adjustment at half-time and that enabled us to use our counter-attacks to win this game," Agustin Campuzano, Panama coach.

By Eduardo Mendez - Panama has never qualified for a World Cup and will continue to disappoint their fans when they fail to qualify once more.

They have progressed in the region—best noted with their performance in the last four Gold Cups—but still lack the talent to represent the CONCACAF.

Their 2-0 victory over Honduras in the opening match of the semifinals was instrumental in their advancement to the Hexagonal, but their lackluster performance since then is a cause for concern.

Led by Blas “Super Ratón” Pérez's three goals, Panama finished group play with 11 points.

It was good enough for second in the table (losing the tiebreaker to Honduras on goal differential), but a 0-0 draw with Honduras and a 1-1 draw with lowly Cuba in their final two matches is not worthy of a World Cup team.

Panama is not the most dynamic team in the competition—scoring only six goals in the semifinals—but they are well structured and difficult to break down defensively.

The hexagonal provides some of the most chaotic environments to perform in, and with Panama's struggles on foreign soil, they are environments I believe will get the best of them.

Expect them to compete for fourth place in the group, but ultimately fall short. (Bleacherreport.com)

Editor's Comment: The author expects Panama to finish fifth out of the six teams that qualified for the "hex" and not make it to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Well, it wasn't pretty, but you can't argue with success. Panama tied Cuba 1-1 in Havana on Tuesday afternoon, ending with a total of 11 points, in second place in Group C of the Third Round of qualification within the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF.) These games are being played to determine which countries will be sending their national soccer teams to participate in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Panama has never - not once - participated in a World Cup competition. With these results, Panama now advances to the fourth and final round of qualification.

Six Teams Advanced: The fourth round is called the "hex" because a total of six teams qualified to advance. In addition to Panama, Mexico, the United States, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Honduras have advanced. These six teams will now play a series of head-to-head matches, home and away, in one big group of six. The games will start on 6 February 2013, and the matches will be played throughout the year, ending on 15 October 2013. The Panamanian team will travel five times to play each team in their home stadiums as the "visitor", and will also host all five teams in the Rommel Fernandez stadium in Panama City as the "home" team. The results of these games will determine which teams advance to participate in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and which are eliminated.

Three, or Four Spots: There are spots for three or four CONCACAF teams to participate in the World Cup. The three teams with the best performances in the head-to-head matches advance directly. There is one more spot - a possible fourth position. Whichever team ends up in the fourth position will have to play against the highest qualifying team from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) - most likely New Zealand. The fourth-placed team of CONCACAF will play OFC's first-placed team in a home-and-away play-off. The winner of this play-off qualifies for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals. So, if Panama ends up in the top three they qualify for the World Cup straight away. If they end up in fourth they still have a shot. If they end up in fifth or sixth, they will be eliminated.

Current FIFA Rankings: Mexico is currently ranked at #19 in the world by FIFA, and is the highest ranked team in the CONCACAF. The United States is ranked at #32, and is in second place within the confederation. Panama is in third place, ranked at #43 in the world by FIFA. Among the other three teams that qualified for the fourth round, Jamaica is fourth at #52, Honduras is seventh in the CONCACAF at #66, and Costa Rica is eighth in the confederation at #72. So the third round of qualification pretty much confirmed those FIFA rankings. Haiti and Canada, ranked above Honduras and Costa Rica, failed to qualify. Haiti was eliminated in the second round, and Canada was tossed aside after finding themselves on the receiving end of an 8-1 drubbing, handed out by Honduras yesterday.

The Bottom Line: Panama is still alive. Panamanian soccer fans will now be able to root for and support their team during all of 2013. What happened during the second and third round now no longer matters - the slate is wiped clean. The Panamanian team has the talent and skills to beat practically any of the other teams that qualified for the fourth round, with the exception of Mexico. If Panama can play Mexico to a tie either home or away and steal one point from those matches, then that would be cause for a celebration and a caravan through the streets. The same might be true for the United States - a team which draws on a population of more than 350 million people for players compared to Panama which is literally 1/100th of the size at 3.5 million people. However Panama simply must be able to defeat teams like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Jamaica, both home and away. If they can't beat those teams, then they don't deserve a trip the the World Cup.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Panama played Honduras to a disappointing 0 - 0 draw last night on the soggy rain soaked turf of the Rommel Fernandez stadium in Panama City before a crowd of about 30,000 fans. Panama remains in first place in Group C of the third round of CONCACAF qualifying, tied with Canada at 10 points. Panama is just one step ahead of Canada on goal differential. Honduras is in third place in the group with 8 points. Cuba, in the basement with zero points, has been mathematically eliminated and will not advance to the fourth round.

Panama's next game is on Tuesday, 16 October 2012 against Cuba, in Havana. Panama will advance to the next round with either a draw or a win against Cuba. This should be a relatively easy task considering that Cuba has not scored a single goal in five games, has lost all five, and has given up a total of nine goals. Canada and Honduras will also play on Tuesday in San Pedro Sula. The possibilities of who advances at this point can get a little tricky, so here's a breakdown;

On the next matchday: (16 October)

Panama will advance to the next round if:

they do not lose to Cuba, OR

Honduras do not beat Canada, OR

they lose to Cuba, AND Canada lose to Honduras, AND

Panama lose by as many or fewer goals than Canada loses, OR

Panama lose by one more goal than Canada, but score as many or more goals than Canada.

Canada will advance to the next round if:

they do not lose to Honduras, OR

they lose to Honduras, AND Panama lose to Cuba, AND

Canada lose by at least two fewer goals than Panama loses, OR

Canada lose by one fewer goal than Panama, but score more goals than Panama.

Honduras will advance to the next round if they beat Canada.

Did You Follow That? It's really pretty simple. All three teams still have a chance of advancing, so hope springs eternal. All three teams are going into the next match with a "must win" mentality. Of the three, Panama has the easiest task. Notice that Canada can still advance if Panama loses, Canada loses, and then it comes down to goal difference.

The "Hex" - The Fourth Round of qualifying is call the "hex" because six teams will play a series of home and away matches, a total of ten games starting in February 2013 and running through October 2013. Of the twelve teams that started the Third Round only Mexico has secured a spot in the "hex." Three teams have been mathematically eliminated already - Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, and Cuba. The remaining eight teams - United States, Guatemala, Jamaica in Group A, Costa Rica and El Salvador in Group B, and Panama, Canada, and Honduras in Group C - still have a chance of advancing, and their fates will be decided on the last day of game play.

If It Ended Today: The leaders in the groups are the United States and Guatemala in Group A with 10 points each, Mexico and Costa Rica in Group B with 15 and 7 points respectively, and Panama and Canada in Group C with 10 points each. So the "hex" will probably consist of:

Mexico

United States

Canada

Panama

Guatemala

Costa Rica

No Free Passes: Among that group of teams, Panama can hold its own against any of them. They need to be able to beat teams at home, and play for draws on the road. Mexico is is practically guaranteed to earn one of the three CONCACAF slots in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. The other team that's almost certain to advance is the United States. The US has not failed to qualify since 1986 and has played in the last six consecutive World Cups. So, Mexico and the US will take two of the three guaranteed slots. One more team with the best performance in Round Four will also advance. The fourth place team will have to play for the last spot against Oceania (New Zealand). Putting things into historical perspective, Panama has never qualified for the World Cup. In order to get there, they have to be able to beat teams like Canada, Costa Rica, and Guatemala consistently and convincingly - both at home and on the road. Panamanian football has been improving in recent years, and many of the team's fans have a "this is the year" feeling about their chances, however the tough slog to a weak draw last night might have taken just a little wind out of those sails.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

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The president, Ricardo Martinelli, said yesterday, while speaking at the inauguration of the Panama Logistics Expo 2012, there will be a juicy prize for the players on the men's national soccer team if they advance to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying. According to the president, who was joined in this activity by his Honduran counterpart Porfirio Lobo, there is a company who says they will give $20,000 to each member of the team if they advance to the next stage.

"If the selection advances (to the Hexagonal), there will be many prizes. A company has informed me that if they (the Panamanian team) advances, they will donate $20,000 to each participant, and I'm sure there will be other companies, and we all have to support them. We must encourage the players to make it to the World Cup," said Martinelli, who did not dare to give a forecast for the match today between Panama and Honduras. "You know who I'm going for ... I do not want to make predictions," he said.

At the same time, the president sent a message to reassure the euphoric rivalry between the supporters of both countries. "This is a game between two brotherly countries, two good teams, and hopefully the better team will win," he said. (Dia a Dia)

The National Police and the National System of Civil Protection are ready to provide the necessary security for the fans that will focus today on the Rommel Fernandez Stadium and the coastal strip to watch the soccer match between Panama and Honduras. Carlos Bethancourt, a Commissioner of the National Police, said there are at least five security rings for people entering the stadium. About 30,000 people are expected to attend the Rommel Fernandez Stadium, where the doors open at 4:00 pm.

He said more than 200 police officers and units from other security agencies will be located both inside and outside of the stadium. Bethancourt reminded the public that the sale of beer will be regulated, and the public cannot enter with firearms, knives, or other weapons to avoid situations, accidents, or other risks during the sporting event. He said these same security measures are being applied at the Coastal Strip, for fans who will watch the game on the big screens.

Traffic police officers will monitor road traffic in the area, and at least six ambulances are available for emergencies. (Critica)

Editor's Comment: The big game is tonight, starting at 9:00 pm. If Panama beats Honduras they will have guaranteed their pass to the fourth round of qualifying. Panamanians are getting all juiced up and excited for this game.

Filipino bantamweight John Mark Apolinario aka "The Iceman," (right) will have the golden opportunity to become a world champ if he defeats veteran former 2-division world champion Roberto "La Araña" (The Spider) Vásquez of Panama in their coming clash for the vacant WBA bantamweight interim title on November 3 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

"Yes, my fighter Apolinario will fight for the vacant WBA interim bantamweight title against former world champion Roberto Vásquez of Panama. We look forward to a good fight," said Filipino promoter Sammy G. Gello-ani to this author today.

Sammy Gelo-Ani, owner of the successful SGG Promotions, is also the manager and promoter of Filipino IBF minumumweight world champion John Riel Casimero (17-2, 10KO's), who last August successfully defended his crown in a razor thin split decision over Mexican Pedro Guevara in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

The Vásquez-Apolinario WBA interim title fight will be staged as the current WBA interim champ heavy-hitter Hugo "Cuatito" Ruiz (31-1, 28KO's) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México will challenge regular Japan's WBA champion Koki Kameda (28-1, 17KO's) on December 4 in Osaka, Japan, leaving the interim title vacant.

Vásquez and Apolinario are the most highly ranked WBA bantamweight fighters, being Vásquez the WBA # 2 and Apolinario the WBA #3.

The WBA 'super world champion' in the 118 lbs division is Anselmo "Chemito" Moreno of Panama, who will face undefeated Mexican Abner Mares for the WBC super bantamweight crown on November 10 in a SHOWTIME card at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The 22 year-old Apolinario (17-2-1, 4KO's) born in Mindanao's Sarangani Province, comes to his fight with Vasquez after a rather bizarre win over fellow Filipino Menard Zaragosa last December in Cavite, a fight in which Apolinario's opponent surprisingly sprint as Hussain Bolt from the ring towards the toilets, an odd action that forced the referee to end the bout as a second-round retirement.

Meanwhile, the experienced and more accomplished 29-year-old Roberto "La Araña" Vasquez (32-5, 22KO's), gets into this title combat after two successful outings this year.

The first one, a unanimous decision victory last March over lanky Mexican Mario "Maca" Briones (22-3-1, 16KO's).

The second, a knockout win over Dominican bantamweight Geyci Lorenzo a month ago at the Coliseo Carlos 'Teo' Cruz in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The Vásquez-Apolinario fight will be the co-main event of the world title match of local female boxer star, the popular and gorgeous Cecilia "La Reina" (The Queen) Comunales defending her WBA Lightweight World crown.

Fights will televised LIVE in Argentina and throughout Latin America by the sports channel TyC Sports. In Panama by RPC Televisión Canal 4. In Uruguay by VTV. In the Philippines AKSYON TV Channel 5.

This international card in Uruguay is a production of international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing LLC in association with well-known promoter Sammy Gello-Ani of SSG Sports Promotions of Cebu, Philippines. (philboxing.com)

The CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying group stages continues this week with some huge matches, one of these comes from Group C and sees Honduras travel to Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City to take on current group leaders Panama.

Panama comes into this match having recovered from the 1-0 loss away to Canada with a fairly comprehensive 2-0 win in the return leg, as they played a solid game in the midfield and finished their chances. Coach Julio Dely Valdes will see his team in a good position with this match being at home and their final match away to a Cuban side playing for pride, however with Canada favorites to get points off Cuba La Marea Roja need to secure at least a point. The key players for this match are the forward partnership of Blas Perez and Luis Tejada as well as midfielders Alberto Quintero and Amílcar Henríquez, the two front men have managed to cause havoc from time to time and use their size well but the balance that the midfield is striking between ball winners like Henríquez and ball players like Quintero gives them an added dimension.

Honduras under Coach Luis Fernando Suarez has started to play better under this rebuild and have some dangerous players that are some of the best in CONCACAF, the play of forward Jerry Bengston as well as midfielders Oscar Boniek Garcia and Marvin Chavez has been particularly important and it has been a seamless transition from their club form in MLS to national team appearances. That said the club is without a key member of their squad for the final two World Cup Qualifying group games, as fellow MLS player in midfielder Roger Espinoza with a right ankle sprain. In Espinoza they lose a vital ball winner, it will be up to Boniek Garcia to step up as one of the more senior players to be the chief organizer of the midfield.

I like the Draw in this match, this is a match that Panama will obviously want to win but I see them taking a measured approach while Honduras have a good squad but can be left frustrated on away fixtures. (PANAMA VS. HONDURAS 10/12/12 - Kamal’s Free CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Soccer Pick and Preview)

By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com - PHILADELPHIA -- Carlos Ruiz played baseball every Saturday as a child in Chiriqui, the province where he grew up in Panama. Well, nearly every Saturday. Ruiz's mother, Inocencia Rios, made one thing crystal clear to her oldest son: school was to be his No. 1 priority. If he had a bad week at school, he would not play on the weekends. Ruiz's mother remained true to her word. "A lot of times I didn't do well during the week, so I would miss a Saturday," Ruiz said. "It was tough."

It is partly how Ruiz developed his work ethic, one he has maintained to this day, one that helped him develop from a second baseman into a catcher, from a backup into a starter, from a respected signal caller to an offensive force in the Phillies' lineup. Had Ruiz not missed several weeks this season because of an injured left foot, he would have had a very real chance to win the National League batting title. Had Ruiz won that title, he would have joined select company in Panama. Fellow countryman Rod Carew won seven batting titles in his Hall of Fame career with the Minnesota Twins and California Angels. "Everybody in Panama talked about him," Ruiz said of Carew.

Growing up, Ruiz knew about most of the Panamanians that reached the big leagues, players like Omar Moreno, Manny Sanguillen and Juan Berenguer. Ruiz, 33, was just 16 years old when Yankees closer Mariano Rivera threw his first pitch at Yankee Stadium. But Ruiz's respect wasn't limited to Panamanians. "When I signed with the Phillies as a catcher, I always liked to watch Pudge Rodriguez," he said of the native Puerto Rican.

Ruiz has become one of the best Panamanian players ever to play baseball, ranking eighth all time in hits. He is one of six Panamanians to make an All-Star team. Ruiz caught Roy Halladay's perfect game in 2010 and Halladay's no-hitter in the postseason that same year. Ruiz also caught the final pitch of the 2008 World Series, giving the Phils their second championship in franchise history. Panamanian president Martin Torrijos called Ruiz's mother the night Ruiz caught that strikeout pitch from Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge and congratulated her. Torrijos later invited Ruiz to Palacio de las Garzas, the president's home, for a ceremony.

Ruiz also had a parade in his honor in his hometown of David. It would not be the last time Ruiz heard from his country's leader. Torrijos called a few months later to ask why Ruiz had decided not to play with Panama in the World Baseball Classic. It was a simple answer, really. Ruiz's No. 1 goal is to help the Phillies win. And he wanted to work with the Phils' pitchers in Spring Training in preparation for the 2009 season. But a funny thing happens when your country's leader personally calls you on the phone and asks you for something. You listen and you do it. Ruiz represented his home country in the Classic and still went on to help the Phillies win the 2009 NL pennant. "It surprised me," Ruiz said of the phone call. "And there's no way I can say no to representing my country. I had no problem to do that. But he called, and I answer and say, 'OK, I'll go.' I can't wait for next time, because I would like to play again."

It has been a remarkable rise for the kid from David. Phillies scout Allan Lewis came upon Ruiz in 1998, when he was playing second base. Phils international scouting supervisor Sal Agostonelli didn't think Ruiz had the range to play in the infield, but he really liked his arm. That arm could work behind the plate, he thought. Philadelphia eventually signed him for a whopping $8,000. The Phillies have gotten an unbelievable return on that investment. Ruiz is highly regarded in the Phils' clubhouse and around the league. He is a valued game-caller and no longer just an eight-hole hitter in a lineup. "Everyone here loves him," Halladay said. "He's your favorite guy to root for."

By Lori Ewing - the Canadian Press - Stephen Hart has studied every angle of Canada's World Cup qualifying loss to Panama - as much of what happened off the field as on. Fans set off fireworks and blared car stereos in front of the Canadians' hotel to keep them awake the night before the bleary-eyed squad stumbled to a 2-0 defeat, a big blow to Canada's quest for a spot in the final qualifying round. Hart said the team will take precautions to avoid a repeat of the Panama debacle when Canada plays in Honduras next month to cap this penultimate qualifying stage. "It's a matter of sleep patterns and that sort of thing. What we're going to try to do is eliminate what disrupted the sleep patterns in the first place," Hart said.

Exactly how the Canadians plan to do that is unknown; the team's head coach is keeping close to his chest. "Obviously, we had made provisions for some sort of disturbance outside the hotel in Panama," Hart said. "But when we can't do anything is when it's allowed to be stereo systems, fireworks display, and every-thing else that went on. "We can't control what goes on in the street, but we are and will be taking a number of precautions along those lines. I don't want to talk too much about it for obvious reasons."

The loss dropped Canada to third in its qualifying group with two games to go - Oct. 12 versus Cuba at BMO Field and four days later at Honduras. Panama leads the group while Honduras is second. The top two countries advance to final six-team CONCACAF stage, which Canada hasn't played in since 1998.

For now, Hart is closely monitoring his players ahead of announcing his roster next Thursday. He's optimistic forward Olivier Occean will be back in the lineup after missing the Panama game with a back injury. The ailing Occean sat Frankfurt's 3-3 draw with Borussia Dortmund earlier this week. "I expect him to play, but of course that will depend on the medical team at his club," Hart said. "They told me they're working on him on a daily basis."

What the coach does know for certain is he'll be without leading scorer Dwayne De Rosario, who suffered an MCL sprain in his knee early in Canada's loss to Panama. Attacking midfielder Josh Simpson of Victoria, who broke his leg in May, also won't be returning to the squad any time soon. "It's going to be a long time with Josh, unfortunately," Hart said. "He had the cast removed but has a lengthy rehab in front of him." De Rosario scored in Toronto's 1-0 win over Panama at BMO Field, his 20th goal in 71 appearances, making him the country's all-time men's scoring leader.

Hart said he'll be looking to have Marcel De Jong fill in for De Rosario down the left side of the midfield. The Canadians are considered favourites to beat the Cubans, who've already been mathematically eliminated from making the final round. Honduras could prove problematic if the reception in that country is anything like what the Canadians experienced in Panama. "I've never seen anything like Panama," Hart said. "I've witnessed some street stuff before in Honduras in the past, but nothing like what was done in Panama." The coach said the Canadians were helpless to halt the major ruckus going on in front of their hotel. "It was organized, it was allowed, the officials who were supposed to monitor that sort of thing could do nothing about it. The police military, everybody allowed it to go on. A complete fireworks display outside the hotel," Hart said. "There's nothing you can do about that. What can you do? You just try to take certain precautions that it doesn't happen again or it doesn't affect you if it does help you."

Editor's Comment: So, score one for the fans in Panama. The Canadians are now indirectly blaming the noise outside of the hotel as the reason for their loss. If I were the coach I would filter the players in over two or three days, on different flights. Spread them out in different hotels. That sort of tactic only works when they are all dense and in the same hotel. And why let anyone know where you're staying, anyway? Hire private transportation, etc. They just have to show up for the game, right?