Nobody connected with Panama will want to hear about positives right now. At least not after conceding in the 95th minute.
Not after spending almost an entire evening matching Ghana stride for stride. And certainly not after coming within seconds of earning what would have been the nation's first ever World Cup point. The disappointment is understandable.
Yet once the frustration fades, Panama should look back on this performance with more encouragement than regret. Because for long periods in Toronto, they looked exactly like a team that belongs on the World Cup stage. That might not sound like much after a defeat, but context matters.
Drawn into a difficult group
Panama arrived at this tournament knowing that many people expected them to struggle. They were placed in a group containing Ghana, England and Croatia. Most predictions focused on how difficult qualification would be rather than what Panama might achieve.
Nothing about this performance suggested a team overwhelmed by the occasion. It is quite the opposite.
Within two minutes, Cecilio Waterman had already forced a save from Lawrence Ati Zigi. Later, Cristian Martinez came close to putting Panama ahead. Even as the game became tense in the closing stages, they continued looking for opportunities rather than simply defending their penalty area.
Reasons to keep believing
There was organisation. There was discipline. And most importantly, there was belief. That is why the ending felt so cruel. The difference between leaving the stadium with a point and leaving with nothing came down to a single moment. One run down the flank, one cut-back and one finish changed the entire conversation around the match.
Football can be brutal like that. Yet the bigger lesson from this game should not be about the goal Panama conceded. It should be about everything they did before it.
Thomas Christiansen's side frustrated a team with significantly more World Cup experience. They limited opportunities, stayed compact and looked capable of causing problems whenever they moved forward. That foundation gives them something to build on.
Croatia await with pressure rising
Croatia awaits next and the challenge will be enormous. Another defeat would leave Panama staring at an early exit. The pressure is real. But performances matter too.
Teams that genuinely do not belong at this level tend to look overwhelmed very quickly. Panama never looked overwhelmed. They looked competitive and organised. Even looked capable of making life difficult for good teams.
That should provide confidence going forward. The scoreline will show a defeat. But the final moments will dominate the headlines. But if Panama can produce that level of commitment and organisation again, this World Cup story may not be finished just yet.
