Panama and the fight for a World Cup spot

This is unworthy for a sport that was built among gentlemen. We recognize the pristine way in which head coach Luis Fernando Tena has handled the situation, added to the fact that Guatemalans cannot stain the ball any further. They have already received exemplary sanctions from FIFA for match-fixing, suspending them and leaving them out of World Cup qualifiers. It is very strange; when we should be talking about the pitch and the ball, we are wasting time on extra-football situations. Let's return to what concerns us. Six years of a process that boils down to just 90 minutes, to find out if we go directly to the 2026 World Cup or if our destiny leads us to Monterrey for the playoff. You already know all the equations for a direct spot; Suriname has to lose or draw against Guatemala, taking into account that the 'Chapines' are out of the competition and part of their press has asked them to throw the match. A World Cup as inclusive as this one, now with 42 spots, cannot be that there is no place for my country, Panama. The writer of this column is a commentator for Sertv Deportes. 'Bolillo' said it with class: 'If they let me win, I'll win; even though I'm diminished, I will fight for the victory'. In this instance, there is only one thing to do: unleash the sacred fire that the players have inside, that flame that drives them to achieve their goal. The blessed and touted European method is behind us; it is time for the children born of fire to unleash all their fury and their evolution on the field. The 'Cuzcatlecos' are coming diminished with the shown absences of Gil, Valladares, Cerritos, and Ordaz; it affects the offensive sector, depth on the wings, and rotation capacity. Tommy must understand two things: first, that he had the privilege of being the only coach to have two qualifying cycles (not even JC Dely Valdés), and that if we qualify, he would be the first European to lead a Central American team to the most important event on the planet. I end with the fans and their guide: arrive early; at the moment of the anthem, we must be at full capacity, not stop cheering, be incidents in the referee's decisions, and no ticket stubs, the photos for another day. I have a strong feeling that we are going to get the maximum, the direct ticket, because our players are willing to make history.