US, Panama reach CONCACAF semi-finals

WASHINGTON, June 20 (AFP): Panama booked their CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final berth in dramatic style Sunday, beating El Salvador 5-3 on penalties after Luis Tejada equalized in the 90th minute.

Panama lined up another match against their Group C rivals the United States, who had second-half goals from Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey in a 2-0 victory over Jamaica in the quarter-finals of the regional championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

In the second match of the day's double-header at RFK Stadium, Tejada's 90th minute strike answered the penalty converted by Rodolfo Zelaya in the 78th for El Salvador.

Tejada converted in the penalty shoot-out, making the clinching shot after Nelson Barahona, Luis Renteria, Anibal Godoy and Amilcar Henriquez converted.

Panama goalkeeper Jaime Penedo stopped the first penalty he faced in the decider, from El Salvador's Dennis Alas.

"If things don't go your way in terms of soccer, you have to look for other ways to reach your goals," Panama coach Julio Dely Valdes said. "We have gotten a result in a way we're not used to.

"I think Panama never stopped fighting, and that's how we reached the goal, which is the most important thing going forward."

Both coaches were unhappy with some of the referee's calls.

Tejada's goal in the last minute of regular time first appeared to have been saved by El Salvador keeper Miguel Montes, but he was in the net and it was determined the ball crossed the goal line.

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