Venezuela held by Panama in friendly
San Diego Tribune
CARACAS – Venezuela and Panama, who are attempting to qualify for their first World Cup, warmed up for next month's qualifiers by drawing 1-1 in a friendly played Wednesday night.
Striker Giancarlo Maldonado opened the scoring for Venezuela in the fourth minute when he ran onto Ricardo Paez's long ball forward, outpaced Jaime Cox and fired past goalkeeper Oscar MacFarlane.
Venezuela, who gave international debuts to Jesus Gomez, Paul Ramirez, Rennier Rodriguez and Juan Fuenmayor, controlled the first half and Maldonado hit the post with another effort in the 20th minute.
Panama equalised when striker Roberto Brown headed in from a rebound after Joel Jimenez's attempted cross was misjudged by goalkeeper Rafael Dudamel and hit the post.
Venezuela, who are at home to Uruguay on June 4, are ninth in the 10-team South American qualifying group with 14 points from 13 games.
However, they are only two points behind fifth-placed Uruguay and still have a chance of at least a fifth-placed finish, which would earn a playoff against the Oceania group winners.
Panama are fifth in the final stage of the CONCACAF zone qualifiers with two points from three games, two points behind Guatemala and Costa Rica. They are away to Trinidad & Tobago on June 4.
Venezuela and Panama play to a 1-1 draw in an exhibition game
Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela and Panama played to a 1-1 draw Wednesday in an exhibition between two teams with little chance of reaching the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Striker Juan Carlos Maldonado put Venezuela on top 1-0 in the fourth minute with 25-yard shot from outside the box at Olympic Stadium in Caracas. Panama's Roberto Brown tied the match in the 34th minute by knocking in a deflection that Venezuelan goalkeeper Rafael Dudamel could not handle.
Panama is fifth among six teams in the final round of North and Central American and Caribbean World Cup qualifying at 0-1-2. Its next qualifier is at home June 4 against Trinidad and Tobago (0-2-1) and the Panamanians host the United States (2-1) four days later.
Venezuela, eighth in South America at 4-7-2, hosts Uruguay (4-5-4) on June 4 and is at Chile (3-5-5) on June 8.
Panama holds Venezuela to a draw
concacaf.com
Panama held the host Venezuela to a 1:1 draw in an international friendly at the Estadio “Olímpico" Caraqueño in Caracas on Wednesday evening.
The crowd of 15,000 saw Giancarlo Maldonado opened the scoring for the vinotintos in the fourth minute, but Roberto Brown notched the equalizer for the canaleros 30 minutes later.
This is the canaleros’ sixth consecutive game without a victory with the last one coming on 19 February 2005 against El Salvador (1:0) in Ciudad de Guatemala.
Panama will now travel to Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago on 4 June for a CONCACAF Final Round World Cup Qualification match against the host at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Friendly
25.05.2005: Caracas, VENEZUELA; Estadio “Olímpico" Caraqueño (A: 15000)
VENEZUELA – PANAMA 1:1 (1:1)
Giancarlo MALDONADO 4’ – Roberto BROWN 34’
VEN: Rafael Dudamel (46: Gilberto Angelucci – Leonel Vielma, Juan Fuenmayor, Fernando de Ornelas, Jobanny Rivero, Luis Vera (77: Miguel Mea Vitali), Héctor González (74: Pedro Fernández), Andrée González, Ricardo David Páez (58: Paul Ramírez), Giancarlo Maldonado (46: Cristian Cáceres), Ruberth Morán. Booked: Vielma 84’, Vitali 89’
TD: Richard PÁEZ
PAN: Oscar McFarlane – Amílcar Henríquez (72: Leonel Parrish), Jaime Cox, Joel Solanilla, Joel Jiménez (90: Cecilo Garcés), Gabriel Gómez, Alberto Blanco, Julio Medina (90: José Justavino), Ricardo Philips (76: Gustavo Avila), Roberto Brown, Orlando Rodríguez (61: Neptalí Díaz). Booked: Phillips 41’, Medina 78’
TD: José HERNANDEZ
R: Gustavo BRAND (VEN)
