Moscow -
Panama must be prepared for their World Cup debut against Belgium next week (June 18), otherwise they will do very badly, said coach Hernán Darío Gómez on Monday.
"There are not many doubts in the team, we have to be prepared. The team that is not ready there is screwed," Gómez told reporters after his team's practice.
"We are very focused on not leaving spaces and with a lot of order to counteract Belgium's game," he added regarding the team his players will face in their initial match of Group G.
After the game against Belgium, Panama will face England and Tunisia. The Central American team will be making their World Cup debut in Russia.
"One of the big differences in the World Cup compared to other tournaments is that more than individual capacity and soccer, what matters is the mind, the personality, the concentration," the coach said.
Meanwhile, Gómez began to give serious clues about the starting eleven against Belgium on June 18.
In the previous days, the Colombian coach had given some clues about the team he could put, but yesterday he organized for the first time a 11 against 11 match, with one of the teams formed by the same group that lost to Norway (1-0) in the last friendly game.
Jaime Penedo in goal, Michael Murillo and Eric Davis on the sides, with Román Torres and Fidel Escobar in the center of the defense; Gabriel Gómez and Aníbal Godoy as midfielders, Édgar Bárcenas and José Luis Rodríguez as wingers; Armando Cooper as playmaker and Blas Pérez as the only attacking reference.
Belgium is a very strong rival, it is one of the most powerful teams in Europe, we respect them but we do not fear them.
Gabriel Gómez, Panamanian player
(D)