TAMPA, Fla. — Landon Donovan said he expects the U.S. soccer team to be on its game when it resumes Gold Cup play tonight against Panama.
Noting there’s a history of close games between the teams in the tournament that determines the champion of North and Central America and the Caribbean, Donovan stressed the favored Americans cannot afford to overlook the Panamanians.
“People forget how much experience this group of players have now. It’s been basically the same team for five, six, seven, eight years,” Donovan said. “It’s going to be a difficult game. We expect a tough test.”
The U.S. has beaten Panama in each of the past three Gold Cups.
Meanwhile, in Mexico City, the Mexican government said its beef does not contain clenbuterol, hurting the defense of five players suspended from the Gold Cup after testing positive for the banned substance.
Suspended goalie Guillermo Ochoa, a starter on Mexico’s World Cup team last year, insisted the suspended players did nothing wrong.
“We have nothing to hide,” Ochoa said. “Our conscience is clean because we haven’t done a bad thing. It’s sad these things happen.”
CONCACAF officials were awaiting more information before deciding whether to allow Mexico to call up additional players. El Tri plays Costa Rica on Sunday in Chicago.
