USA vs. Panama: Breaking Down Key Stats Heading into 2013 Gold Cup Final

The two best teams at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the United States and Panama, will clash for the title for the first time in eight years in Chicago on Sunday.

The Americans survived that 2005 showdown in a thrilling penalty shootout, and despite having head coach Jurgen Klinsmann suspended for this championship match, the U.S. will enter its ninth Gold Cup final once again as the favorite to win a fifth regional crown.

Below we'll take a closer look at some of the key stats worth chewing on before Sunday's final.

USA Averaging 3.8 Goals Per Match

No team has been more explosive than the United States at the 2013 Gold Cup. The Americans have poured in 19 goals through five matches for an average of 3.8 goals per contest. 

Landon Donovan and Chris Wondolowski have combined to score more than half of the United States' total goals, netting five apiece.

The U.S. has scored eight goals in two victories in the knockout stage, averaging four goals per match since the quarterfinals last weekend.

While Panama is also averaging four goals per match in the knockout stage, the Central Americans have just 11 total for the tournament, equating to an average of 2.2 goals per outing. Clearly, the United States' attack has been more productive more consistently, thus making it the more dangerous one in Sunday's final.

Both Sides Conceding Fewer Than One Goal Per Match

Both the United States and Panama have been dominant defensively this July. While Costa Rica had the best statistical run of any of the 12 nations, both of 2013's finalists have ranked towards the top.

Panama has conceded just three goals in five matches, while the U.S. has surrendered four over the same amount of time. Both have allowed two goals in since the quarterfinals, and neither has given up more than one goal in a single match thus far.

Thanks to some stellar play in the final third, the U.S. enters Sunday's final with a tournament-best plus-15 goal differential. Panama ranks second-best at plus-eight.

Zero Losses Between U.S. and Panama

Perhaps the most important stat ahead of this weekend's Gold Cup final is the fact that neither the U.S. nor Panama have lost a match. 

The Americans have won all five of their previous Gold Cup tilts, while Panama has won four, drawing with Canada in the group stage. No other nation managed to lose fewer than two matches, with the other 10 eliminated teams having dropped two or three matches for the tournament.

Whether it comes in stoppage time, extra time or on penalties like it did back in 2005, one of these two unbeaten teams will suffer its first loss on Sunday evening in Chicago.

Unfortunately, it will come on the tournament's biggest stage. 

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