Improvement on World Stage of PANAMA soccer is starting to be recognized.
- By : James Bryson
- Category : Human Interest, Sport
If there’s a superlative player on the Panamanian National Team right now, it’s Ismael Díaz.
The Universidad Católica player has been in a state of grace, and the Panamanian team has taken advantage of the forward’s sweet moment.
In the 4-1 victory over Jamaica, Díaz scored three goals against the Jamaicans. Thanks to this feat, the 28-year-old tied Luis Tejada for second place in the Gold Cup history with 10 goals. He is only ahead of Blas Pérez (11).
After several years of inconsistent performance, Díaz has finally found his place on the Panamanian national team, as well as at Ecuador’s Catholic University.
With this hat trick, the Panamanian also moves into the top spot in this Gold Cup with five goals. His closest rival is defender César Montes with three.
At the end of the match, the forward expressed his delight with the victory, especially with his goal-scoring performance against Jamaica. Díaz commented that he had dedicated the match to his daughter.
“I dedicate this to my family, to those people who have always been there. Thank God I was able to bring them here so they could experience that tournament for the first time. We’re enjoying the moment,” Díaz said.
He also addressed the team’s performance so far. “Any player here is ready to come in and give their best; that’s the confidence the coaching staff has in the player. That’s what’s important. I’m going to emphasize that we made history today, achieving a perfect score to qualify. I’m going to take that with me,” he stated.
The player also recalled the difficult moments he’d experienced in the past and noted, “I emphasize what the team is doing more. I always think about the team, I try to enjoy it. I had the opportunity to score, I tried to take advantage of it.”
His good form hasn’t just come from now, but from months ago. In the 27 matches he’s played this year, he’s managed to score a significant 18 goals . With the Panama national team, in his last four matches, he’s scored six goals .
Significant numbers for a striker like Díaz, who has managed to put his bad times behind him and is in what could be his best form for the national team.
Now that qualification is in hand, Díaz will hope to continue his scoring streak against Honduras when they meet in the 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinals.
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