Preview: Chile vs. Panama - prediction, team news, lineups

For the first time in over eight years, Chile and Panama will meet on the international stage, with that friendly taking place on Saturday at Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Nunoa.

La Roja ended 2024 with a 4-2 victory over Venezuela in 2026 World Cup qualifying, while Los Canaleros began this year by suffering a 2-1 defeat in an unofficial friendly versus Universitario last month.

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Match preview

After some disappointing early results for Chile in World Cup qualifying, they ended last year with points in their final two fixtures.

Those early struggles have them in danger of missing the finals for a third successive occasion as they sit ninth in the table, eight points back of an automatic berth in the next World Cup.

Ricardo Gareca, who guided Peru to the World Cup in 2018, has not had a lot of success since taking charge of Chile in January 2024.

The Argentine has won just three of his matches at the helm of the Chileans, as his side exited the 2024 Copa America group stage without a single goal scored.

This weekend, they have a chance to win consecutive international games for the first time since March 2023, when they claimed three straight victories.

Chile have never lost to Panama in four previous meetings against them, including the last time out at the 2016 Copa America (4-2).

With the USA, Canada and Mexico already assured of a place in the next World Cup and three more CONCACAF places available, the door is wide open for Panama to make the finals for only the second time.

So far, Thomas Christiansen's men have done the job, winning their two second-round qualifiers by a combined margin of 5-1, putting them in a tie for first in Group D with Nicaragua.

The Panamanians will use this encounter as a measuring stick before battling the USA in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals next month, aiming to knock off the only side in the region to ever win that tournament.

Since their surprising run to the Copa America quarter-finals last summer, Panama have struggled with consistency, winning just one of their previous five matches played across all competitions (1-0 over Costa Rica).

Panama have not lost a match in which they netted multiple goals since the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, when they were beaten 3-2 by Honduras.

Since September 2023, Los Canaleros have only won one match versus a South American opponent, defeating Bolivia 3-1 at the 2024 Copa America.

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Team News

For this friendly, Chile will be missing Maximiliano Gutierrez, who has been ruled out with an injury, with Cristian Cuevas and Alvaro Madrid being called up as newcomers.

In their previous encounter, an own goal by Tomas Rincon, along with strikes from Eduardo Vargas and a Lucas Cepeda brace, gave them maximum points against the Venezuelans.

Over a dozen Panamanians without a single cap for the senior squad were called up for this game, including two from the New York Red Bulls II squad, Rafael Mosquera and Aimar Modelo.

Cesar Yanis is two appearances away from 50 for Los Canaleros, Cecilio Waterman is the next most experienced player on the team for this window with 40 caps, while Eddie Roberts is the only goalkeeper on the squad for this match with a senior appearance to his name (one).

Chile possible starting lineup: Cortes; Isla, Vegas, Wiemberg, Hormazabal; Pizarro, Aranguiz; Canales, Vidal, Cepeda; Pino

Panama possible starting lineup: Roberts; Perdomo, Brown, O. Davis, Modelo; E. Carrasquilla, Murillo, Yanis; Gudino, Waterman, Mosquera

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We say: Chile 2-0 Panama

Judging by the team selections, it appears that Panama want to avoid any key players being injured for their Nations League fixture next month, and we expect to see them struggle against a Chilean side that may have more confidence heading into this clash.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.