Following the crucial 3-2 victory over Guatemala on Thursday, Panama's head coach, Thomas Christiansen, stated that on Tuesday they cannot afford another mistake. The match against El Salvador at the Rommel Fernández Stadium will be the final matchday of the Concacaf World Cup Qualifier. "Our obligation is to win, and that is our objective. In the end, the most important thing has been the reaction to win the match because we had a great opponent, a team that fought for everything. We must not think about goals, because if you don't win, the situation gets complicated," added Christiansen. Christiansen promised to give his maximum effort to ensure the players are as well-prepared and motivated as possible to get the victory against El Salvador. "I will promise my maximum effort so that the players come out as motivated, as focused as possible with all the tools they need and try to get the victory. We cannot afford to fail again at Rommel," he stressed. In their previous two home matches, Panama could only manage 1-1 draws against Guatemala and Suriname, but this Tuesday they have the obligation to win to keep their chances of qualifying directly for the World Cup or securing a playoff spot. Regarding the importance of winning by several goals on Tuesday, considering Suriname leads Panama by three goals in goal difference, Christiansen noted that the first thing to do is win. "I believe that approaching the match in that way is a bad way. I wish I could do something else, but it's what is in my hands," he added. With the win, the national team earned nine points, equaling Suriname at the top of the group, who had previously defeated El Salvador 4-0, eliminating them from any chance of qualification. "We wanted to continue playing in the same way, but we lost the ball, possession. That's what I can offer. And when you lose it, you are giving the initiative to the opposing team, you are giving them meters, spaces, and what happened happens, and we have to look for solutions to these situations," he added. Nevertheless, the South American team competing in Concacaf leads in goal difference with +5, while Panama has +2. Regarding the match against Guatemala, Christiansen highlighted the team's reaction after Guatemala equalized the score. "First, you have to win. If winning is enough, then everyone will be happy, and if not, then to the playoffs, but you have to go step by step with your feet on the ground."
