The U.S men’s national team will be without Tim Weah if they advance to the Copa America knockout round. Weah’s suspension has been extended to two matches after receiving a red card in last Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Panama. The Juventus winger was sent off in the 19th minute for punching Roderick Miller in the head during a tussle on the field.
CONMEBOL has imposed a $3,000 fine on Weah for his actions, which will be deducted from the U.S. Soccer Federation’s payment from CONMEBOL. This incident marked the first ejection for Weah at the international level.
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter commented on Weah’s absence, stating, “Timmy provides us with verticality, assists, danger in front of goal, and solid defensive work, making him a challenging player to replace. However, we have a game plan that we intend to execute with other players on the field who we believe can fulfill that role. It will be crucial for them to pass and move to create space and execute our strategy effectively.”
Despite Folarin Balogun giving the U.S. an early lead with a 23rd-minute goal, Panama fought back to claim the victory. Cesar Blackman equalized in the first half, while Jose Fajardo scored the winning goal as a substitute late in the second half.
This defeat against Panama marks the USMNT’s second consecutive loss to them and their third in four years across various competitions. The team now faces Uruguay in their final group stage match in Kansas City, Missouri, with Uruguay’s manager Marcelo Bielsa also suspended for the game, as announced by CONMEBOL.
After the loss to Panama, both the USMNT and Panama are tied on three points each as they head into Monday night’s crucial match.
