Mexico vs. Panama: Biggest Questions Surrounding Gold Cup Semifinal Match

Football fans will once again be treated to a match between Mexico and Panama as the two sides square off for a berth in the Gold Cup final. 

The two sides have already met twice this year. The first was a World Cup qualifier in Panama City that saw both teams battle to a scoreless draw, giving each team one point in the hexagonal standings. The other was a 2-1 victory for Panama in the group stage of this tournament. 

However, El Tri have shown they won't go down easily in the semifinal match. The Mexican side has reeled off three straight victories since the loss, beating Canada, Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago by a combined score of 6-1 to book a semifinal appearance. 

Panama comes in equally hot. Despite a disappointing draw with Canada, Los Canaleros rallied back to defeat Cuba 6-1 to get to this point. 

With these two teams putting on two close matches this year already, the semifinal match should provide plenty of drama. Here are the biggest questions heading into this match. 

Will El Tri Find the Net?

It can't be said Mexico's loss to Panama was for a lack of opportunities. 

According to ESPN FC game stats, Mexico dominated time of possession, controlling the ball 72 percent of the time, and produced 12 shots compared to Panama's eight. 

That's not the sign of a team playing poorly. It's the sign of a team that isn't coming up with creative ways to attack the net. Mexico must aim to play more aggressively this time around. 

As the group-stage loss to Panama proved, holding the ball is not enough to win the match. Panama will eventually take advantage of a counterattack opportunity. Mexico has to get serious about producing goals with the the opportunities it gets if it wants to produce a different result this time around. 

Will Gabriel Torres Continue Gold Cup Dominance?

It's tough to name anyone who has played better in this tournament than Gabriel Torres has played for Panama.

The 24-year-old forward has paced the Panama attack with five goals in four matches. According to ESPN Stats & Info, that ties him with the USA's Chris Wondolowski for the lead in the category. 

Torres' emergence as a top goalscorer is definitely a welcomed development for Panama. The young star hadn't scored for the team since 2010 and only had two international goals prior to the tournament. 

In the team's win over Mexico, he was the only one to find the net, and he scored on a penalty kick at 7' and again at 48'. He'll need to be a star once again. As previously pointed out, Mexico dominated the time of possession in the first match, so taking advantage of limited opportunities might be the key. 

Another great performance from Torres would be huge. 

How Will Mexico's Hexagonal Roster Be Impacted?

For many teams, including Mexico, the Gold Cup offers an opportunity for lower-level players to show they belong on the World Cup roster. 

For an El Tri side that is third in the hexagonal standings with just one win in six matches, there's an extra ray of hope for the players trying to make the team's qualifying roster. Names like Marco Fabian—who has three goals in the Gold Cup—and goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco—who has only given up three goals in five matches—will be trying to push those on the roster for a spot. 

If these second-team players can lead Mexico to a victory over Panama, there's a good chance some will be integrated on the Mexican first team sooner rather than later. 

How they perform in this one will be a great indicator of whether they can help the team qualify for the World Cup going forward.