Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, June 10, 2011
Panama
Nickname: Los Canaleros
Manager: Julio Dely Valdes
Best Gold Cup finish: Runnerup in 2005
The skinny: Panama makes its fourth consecutive Gold Cup appearance and fifth overall. … Blas Perez and Luis Tejada, left, are the most accomplished and effective scoring options. … Tejada scored once and assisted on Perez's strike in the team's Gold Cup opening 3-2 win against Guadeloupe. … Panama led Guadeloupe 2-0 before a red card late in the first half left the Gwada Boys a man down. … Panama extended its lead to 3-0 but had to fend off a second-half rally to win 3-2.
Guadeloupe
Nickname: Gwada Boys
Manager: Roger Salnot
Best Gold Cup finish: Semifinals in 2007
The skinny: Guadeloupe opened the tournament with a 3-2 loss to Panama. … Guadeloupe played with 10 men for the second half after Mickael Tacalfred, above, drew a red card in the 36th minute. … Brice Jovial, who came on as a substitute, scored twice in a 14-minute stretch against Panama.
Canada
Nickname: Maple Leafs
Manager: Stephen Hart
Best Gold Cup finish: Champions in 2000
The skinny: Though it has been more than a decade since their last Gold Cup championship, the Maple Leafs are the only other team besides the United States and Mexico to claim the title. … The Maple Leafs feature a number MLS stars, including Dwayne De Rosario, above (New York) and Will Johnson (Real Salt Lake). … Canada lost 2-0 to the United States in the Gold Cup opener for both teams on Tuesday in Detroit.
Brandon Wright, Times correspondent
Group C