Do the Canaleros make the most of home advantage?
Crunch time in North and Central America. In the CONCACAF zone, the last three matchdays in World Cup qualifying will be held in the next few days. In the middle of it all, and still with a good chance of making it to the World Cup for the second time since 2018, is the team from Panama. The Canaleros await the team from Honduras in Panama City on Friday night.
A look at the standings in this final group of eight makes it clear why. Panama is currently ranked fourth. Theoretically, Thomas Christiansen’s team can still finish in one of the top three places and secure a direct ticket to Qatar.
But it is more likely that Panama will maintain fourth place and finish behind Canada, Mexico and the USA. Then they would probably face New Zealand in the intercontinental play-offs. First, however, they must do their homework, but ahead of the match between Panama and Honduras, it is fair to make a prediction that the Canaleros will play a second consecutive World Cup.
The Catrachos from Honduras, on the other hand, are already out of the World Cup race. They are currently in eighth and last place in the standings. They had expected a different result, but now the only thing left to do is to finish the qualification properly. The starting position makes it clear that a bet on a home win in the match between Panama and Honduras should be the better choice.
Panama – Statistics & current form
Former Bundesliga striker Thomas Christiansen is doing a good job in Panama. The federation bosses are doing everything they can to extend the coach’s contract, but for now he just wants to concentrate on the World Cup qualifiers. However, some European clubs are said to be interested in the Spaniard’s services.
Home strong Canaleros
If the Canaleros make it to Qatar, it will be largely down to home strength. Panama are undefeated in 15 home matches in World Cup qualifying. The last time they lost at home in this competition was in November 2015. Therefore, we can obviously disregard the odds on an away win ahead of the match between Panama and Honduras.
There have been three home wins in a row recently. Away, however, there is some catching up to do. The Canaleros’ last away win was in Honduras, of all places. Whoever wins away from home should also be favoured at home. In their last qualifying match, however, they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in Mexico at the beginning of February, which significantly diminished their chances of direct qualification.
Thomas Christiansen has nominated 26 players for the last three matches in this qualifying campaign. Basically, he has his desired line-up with him. Abdiel Arroyo, however, is in quarantine and will not be able to help his team. In addition, the veteran Armando Cooper could have been considered very well in the line-up, but the former FC St. Pauli player is not in the squad.
Panama’s likely line-up:
Mejia – Andrade, Miller, Escobar, Murillo – Carrasquilla, Godoy – Barcenas, Quintero, Yanis – Blackburn – Coach: Christiansen
Last matches played by Panama:
World Cup Qualifiers CONCACAF Finals
03/25 2022 – Panama 1 – 1 Honduras
02/03 2022 – Mexico 1 – 0 Panama
01/30 2022 – Panama 3 – 2 Jamaica
01/28 2022 – Costa Rica 1 – 0 Panama
Friendly match
01/16 2022 – Peru 1 – 1 Panama
Honduras – Statistics & current form
Colombian Hernan Dario Gomez has competed in World Cups with his homeland, with Ecuador and with Panama. He was also supposed to be the saviour for Honduras, but the coach has already come under extreme criticism, even though his engagement only began last October. But his start with the Catrachos could not have been more unsuccessful.
Megacrisis at the Catrachos
There have been six defeats in the six international matches under Hernan Dario Gomez. In total, Honduras have lost eight in a row and have not won a match in 14. In the World Cup qualifiers, they have only managed three draws. Everything points to a prediction of a commanding home victory in the match between Panama and Honduras.
It would be a special story, however, if Hernan Dario Gomez, of all people, were to block his former team’s path to the World Cup. In the last three games, however, there was not even a goal of his own. Football in Honduras is in a serious crisis. In the last few international matches, the Catrachos looked hopelessly overstretched.
In the last three qualifying matches, Hernan Dario Gomez will have to do without some key players. Alberth Ellis, Anthony Lozano or Deiby Flores are fighting against relegation with their teams in Europe and were not nominated. In addition, captain Maynor Figueroa will also be absent. The Catrachos will enter Panama with a relatively inexperienced squad.
Predicted line-up of Honduras:
L. Lopez – Elvir, Garcia, Maldonado, Quaye – Mejia, Delgado, Rodriguez, K. Lopez – Rochez, Quioto – Coach: Gomez
Last matches played by Honduras:
World Cup Qualifiers CONCACAF Finals
03/25 2022 – Panama 1 – 1 Honduras
02/03 2022 – USA 3 – 0 Honduras
01/31 2022 – Honduras 0 – 2 El Salvador
01/28 2022 – Honduras 0 – 2 Canada
Friendly match
01/16 2022 – Colombia 2 – 1 Honduras
Panama – Honduras Direct comparison / H2H record
To date, the selection teams from Panama and Honduras have faced each other in 39 duels. In the direct comparison, the Catrachos from Honduras have done better. The score is 19:10 after victories, with a further ten duels ending in a draw. However, Panama has a very decent record against the Hondurans in World Cup qualifying.
In the last seven qualifiers, the Canaleros have not lost to Honduras. Alberth Ellis and Brayan Velasquez gave Honduras a 2-0 lead, but in the last quarter of an hour Panama turned the game around with goals from Cecilio Waterman, Cesar Yanis and Eric Davis.
Panama – Honduras Tip
Panama will be highly motivated and desperate to win this game. The Canaleros have it in their own hands to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. Moreover, Thomas Christiansen’s team is extremely strong in its own stadium and has not lost in the last 15 home matches in World Cup qualifying.
Most recently, Panama even won three matches in their own arena. Moreover, they have not lost a qualifying match against Honduras for seven games and more than 20 years. The Catrachos, on the other hand, are in a serious crisis and have not won in 14 games. They have recently lost eight in a row.
We can even imagine that the visitors, who are short of players, will lose by two or more goals. After all, they have not scored in the last three games with a supposedly stronger line-up. We take this as an opportunity to play the betting odds on a win for the Canaleros in the match between Panama and Honduras.
