Team USA will go for the gold without Juergen Klinsmann on Sunday.
The U.S. national team coach was suspended for one game late Friday by the CONCACAF disciplinary committee and will sit out the Gold Cup championship game against Panama. The match begins at 3 p.m. at Soldier Field.
Klinsmann was reprimanded for his tirade and dismissal during the Americans’ 3-1 semifinal victory over Honduras on Wednesday. CONCACAF said the suspension cannot be appealed.
“Mr. Klinsmann was ejected from the technical area for showing dissent toward the referee by throwing the ball in a violent manner …” CONCACAF said in a statement at about 9:30 p.m. Friday.
It was not immediately known who will coach the U.S. team in Klinsmann’s absence.
Rematch: Jaime Penedo is still haunted by penalty kicks that cost his Panamanian national team the 2005 Gold Cup championship against the United States.
Panama and the United States played to a scoreless tie in that final at Giants Stadium, but the Americans prevailed 3-1 in the shootout. Penedo, 31, and Panama get another shot Sunday.
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“I have that game in my memory as if it was yesterday,” the goalkeeper said through a translator after practice Friday at Illinois-Chicago. “Of course, there’s the possibility of this game (also) ending in a shootout because of how tough the conditions will be. But we’ll be prepared.”
The Panamanians have beaten the U.S., earning a 2-1 victory in group play in the 2011 Gold Cup. But the U.S. bounced Panama in the semifinals that year before falling to Mexico in the title game at the Rose Bowl.
The U.S. leads the all-time series 9-1-2.
He’s back: Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson has been away from Chicago for several weeks while training with the national team. He’ll miss his sixth Fire game Saturday but said his experience with the U.S. squad has been invaluable.
“Being in the soccer environment and playing at this level is good,” said Johnson, who has appeared in two games during this stretch with Team USA. “It’s good for me, most importantly, to learn and gain the experience and be able to come back to the Fire and contribute.”
Heavyweight challenge: The four-time Gold Cup-champion Americans might be favored in the final, but Panama showed it is capable of beating anyone with its surprising 2-1 semifinal victory over Mexico.
“It will be tough but we’re here to win it,” said Jairo Jimenez, a 20-year-old midfielder. “We’ve had to face every single match like it’s a final.”