USA-Panama: 5 Things To Watch For

The USMNT take on Panama tonight in the second of their two January friendlies. Here are some of the things I'll be watching for:

1. Response to a tougher test?

Michael Parkhurst and Geoff Cameron managed to do what was asked of them at center back against Venezuela, keeping a clean sheet and helping build a number of US attacks. But the fact of the matter is that they were rarely tested on the night, in part because of strong play from the center mids in front of them, but also in large part because of a rather toothless Venezuelan attack.

Against a well-coached Panama side that includes Blas Perez up front, how will Parkhurst and Cameron fare? Will they be able to handle the physical presence of Perez, something Tim Ream struggled with during last year's Gold Cup? And how will they manage playing on the road in Central America, an always challenging task that may help paint a better picture for Jurgen Klinsmann as he starts looking towards World Cup qualification.

Unlike the Venezuela match, expect Cameron and Parkhurst (assuming they're the starting tandem again) to be tested in this one.

Behind them, Bill Hamid should also get more work to do than he did in his international debut- a match in which he wasn't forced to make a single save. (Fun fact: Hamid is the first USMNT keeper to keep a clean sheet in his first senior team cap since Matt Reis did it in January 2006.) With a stronger opponent and hostile environment, organizing his defense well and taking command of his box will be greater challenges.

On the sidelines, it'll be interesting to see how the Yanks fare from a tactical perspective. After a miserable couple of months at the end of last year, Jurgen Klinsmann quelled some fears with a strong half against Slovenia in the final match of 2011 (only to renew some concerns with a rather poor second half). He has managed to start 2012 off on the right foot, employing a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 that dominated Venezuela in Arizona. But, like Cameron and Parkhurst, how will he fare against what should be a tougher opponent in a tougher environment? Will the US be as dangerous in the final third as they were on Saturday?  Or will they revert back to some of the drab attacking displays that we saw in the first months of Klinsmann's reign?

Let's see what kind of tactics Jurgen puts forward, and how he is able to adjust in-game.


2. Will Wondo build his case?

Teal Bunbury didn't really wow against Venezuela, but fellow striker Chris Wondolowski managed to impress in less than a half hour off of the bench. He put himself in good positions, used his body well to create separation and opportunities, and was quick on the ball in the final third, helping generate a couple of quality scoring chances.

With the USMNT forward corps still in a state of flux (Bunbury wasn't great against Venezuela, Juan Agudelo is still fighting for club team minutes and may move sooner rather than later, Edson Buddle- while impressive against Slovenia- is still very much unsettled at the club level, Herculez Gomez is just working his way into his new team, and Jozy Altidore has come off the bench lately with AZ; and it's not unreasonable to say that a lot more could change in the next couple of months, for better or for worse), I don't think it's beyond Wondo's reach to work his way into the full team picture ahead of World Cup qualification. He has proven himself to be a very capable finisher over the last couple of years (well, most of the time), something that can't exactly be said of many players in the US pool.

I think Wondo could be in line to start tonight. Another strong performance would go a long way towards putting him on Jurgen Klinsmann's first team radar heading into the coming months.  

And I'm sure the San Jose Earthquakes star will be gunning for some small measure of redemption after his awful miss against Panama last summer.  A goal tonight would be the first of his international career.


3. New faces in MLS

USMNT-centric focus aside, tonight will also give MLS fans a chance to see three of the leagues newest signings. Gabriel Gomez, who was named to the All-Tournament Team in the 2011 Gold Cup, signed with the Philadelphia Union in December and will likely tangle with Benny Feilhaber and Jermaine Jones in the center of the midfield. Blas Perez (whom USMNT fans are likely already familiar with) and Carlos Rodriguez, meanwhile, are both headed to FC Dallas, and will be facing off against their new club teammates Brek Shea and Zach Loyd. With the MLS season still an agonizing two months away, it will be nice to get a sneak peak at some of the league's newest acquisitions.


4. One more debut?

Last Saturday's friendly gave us four USMNT debuts, as CJ Sapong, Graham Zusi, AJ DeLaGarza, and Bill Hamid all earned their first cap.

Of the players currently in camp, there is now just one player who has yet to make an appearance with the senior national team: Jeff Parke. Will the Pennsylvania native get his chance tonight? The odds aren't great, but like Lloyd Christmas- I'm saying there's a chance.


5. Another step forward for Rico?

Saturday night was a feel-good moment for Ricardo Clark and his fans. Now, let's see him build on it. A good outing could help start a snowball effect with his form and confidence (the two aren't unrelated, in my book; what goes on between one's ears can be just as important as what happens with one's feet) at the club level, as he seeks to revive his career (hopefully away from Eintracht Frankfurt).

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Well, that's it for now. The match kicks off at 8:30 ET on ESPN3.com and Galavision. Be sure to come by tomorrow for some post-match analysis, and join in the conversation on Twitter (@USsoccerDaily).

Enjoy the match, folks.