Panama’s national team pulled off a feat on Tuesday afternoon, defeating the three-time Concacaf Nations League champions, USA, in the last play of the game. It was a dramatic match, which had an emotional celebration for the Panamanians
The hero of the match was substitute striker Cecilio Waterman, who came on in the 70th minute and scored in the 90’+4′ in a move where Adalberto Carrasquilla laid off to Waterman, from the centre of the field to the left side, just to enter the US area
Waterman controlled and in two touches unleashed a powerful right-footed shot that nestled into the second post of Matt Turner. The moment, full of adrenaline, caused the Panamanian striker to run with wild eyes towards the end line, jumped the advertising and headed to the box where Henry was narrating the match for CBS Sports
In fact, when Waterman, followed by his teammates, approached Henry and with a gesture that even seemed violent, began to shout at the French star: “You are my idol!” and then squeezed him against his chest, in a gesture that puzzled the 1998 World Cup winner
Henry was with the show’s host, Kate Abdo, and former US international Clint Dempsey, who was not at all happy with the Panamanians’ goal, although the adrenaline of the moment brought a smile to his face in front of the disheartened US fans
Meanwhile, the moment went viral on social media, because what seemed to be a complaint or even a possible aggression, was actually a more than emotional moment for Central American soccer
Waterman and his admiration for Titi Henry
After the match, the Coquimbo Unido player from the Chilean league explained in an interview with TUDN that Henry was one of his favorite players as a child:
He added: “The truth is that I always saw him grow up, when he was little I saw him at Arsenal and well, to score that goal and see him there, crazy I went to celebrate with him and it was a coincidence the celebration”. Finally, he reiterated: “I told him ‘you are my idol'”.
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