U.S. advances in Gold Cup with 1-1 tie with Panama

Michael Bradley scored the equalizer early in the second half, helping the United States to a 1-1 tie with Panama on Monday night and wrapping up a sluggish but unbeaten trip through group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Blas Perez scored in the 34th minute to give Panama (0-1-2) the lead.

Second-half substitutions Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin energized the U.S. (2-0-1), which finally began to attack. Alejandro Bedoya’s cross wound up on the right foot of Bradley, who poked the equalizer into the net in the 55th minute for his 14th international goal.

Already assured of first place in Group A, the U.S. improved to 30-1-3 in Gold Cup group play.

Panama must await the outcome of the remaining group games this week to know whether it will advance.

Panama pressed the attack early against the U.S. Luis Tejada was called offside in the opening minutes after putting a shot in the back of the net, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan had to make a save of a corner kick that nearly turned into an own goal off Chris Wondolowski.

Panama finally broke through when Tejada slipped past Ventura Alvarado and crossed to Perez running between the center backs. The FC Dallas striker chipped it in for his 38th international goal, silencing a sellout crowd of 18,467 at Sporting Park.

In the 55th minute, Dempsey took a pass from Gyasi Zardes while falling with his back to the goal, and poked it wide to Bedoya. He sent a cross to Bradley, running from his spot in the midfield, and he knocked it for his second career Gold Cup goal.

Haiti 1, Honduras 0: Duckens Nazon scored in the 14th minute at Kansas City and Haiti took a big step toward advancing from the group stage for the first time.

Nazon’s second goal of the tournament gave Haiti its first victory over Honduras since 2007.

Honduras was eliminated from the group stage for the first time since 2003. It had reached the semifinals in four of the last five tournaments.