CONCACAF Gold Cup wrap: US, Panama earn three points

The United States opened their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Canada on Tuesday, while Panama held off Guadeloupe.

Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore, who spent the second half of the 2010-11 season on loan to Turkish club Bursaspor, opened the scoring 14 minutes into the match at Ford Field, Detroit.

Fulham’s Clint Dempsey doubled the US lead just after the hour mark.

And it would have been 3-0 to the home side, but for a missed penalty from San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski four minutes from time.

The win sees the US lead Group C on goal difference from Panama, who held off a Guadeloupe revival to win 3-2 earlier at Ford Field.

Two goals in the space of three minutes, the first from Club Leon striker Blas Perez and the second courtesy of Juan Aurich forward Luis Tejada, gave Panama a 2-0 lead just 31 minutes into the match.

Guadeloupe’s position worsened when they lost defender Mickael Tacalfred to a red card in the 37th minute.

Panama went 3-0 ahead courtesy of a penalty from defender Gabriel Gomez on 56 minutes.

But Guadeloupe’s 10 men almost managed an unlikely comeback, as a brace from Le Havre striker Brice Jovial saw the team from the Caribbean island threaten to restore parity.

But Panama held on to record the win to sit equal with the US on three points.