2018 World Cup, a first for Panama.

Panama will be gracing the World Cup for the first time ever this year. However, their qualification journey almost halted on the final day when they played Costa Rica who had already qualified for the tournament.

With just two minutes to go in their qualifier against the already-Russia bound team, Panama were drawing 1-1 – a result which would have sent Honduras to the World Cup and seen the USA, who were losing to Trinidad, bound for the play-offs.

Nonetheless, they were not ready to give it away just like that. They kept pressing on, and time kept ticking away. Then Roman Torres happened. He tucked home a headed flick-on to dramatically thump the ball past Patrick Pemberton in the Costa Rica goal.

With the scent of Russia firmly in their nostrils, the country exploded into a riot of celebration that stuck two fingers firmly up to those who question whether international football still has a place in the global football calendar.

It was a most unlikely scenario given that they were on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing against the USA in Orlando on Friday but as Torres reeled away in celebration, the nervous tension was shattered. Panama were in the World Cup.

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