SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Anibal Godoy and defender Harold Cummings have been named to Panama’s 35-man preliminary roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, the Football Federation of Panama, FEPAFUT, announced Monday. The final list of 23 players that will compete for Panama in their first-ever World Cup will be announced on June 4.
Panama qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Oct. 10, 2017, defeating Costa Rica 2-1 to finish third in the Hexagonal Group behind Mexico and Costa Rica with a 3-3-4 record.
Godoy, 28, appeared in all 10 of Panama’s qualifying matches in the Hex, making nine starts. Since making his first senior team appearance in 2010, Godoy has earned 87 caps for Panama, scoring one goal and providing four assists. He most recently joined Los Canaleros for a pair of friendlies in March against Denmark and Switzerland. So far this season for the Quakes, Godoy has made nine starts, providing one assist, and served as the captain against Houston on April 14.
Cummings, 26, has made 51 appearances for Panama, with 50 of those occurring before his 25th birthday. He missed all of 2017, for both club and country, due to an ankle injury, and returned to the squad for the international friendlies in March against Denmark and Switzerland, starting and playing the full 90 minutes against Switzerland. So far this season, the center back has started seven matches for the Quakes.
Five other MLS players accompany Cummings and Godoy on the preliminary roster, including Fidel Escobar (New York Red Bulls), Adolfo Machado (Houston Dynamo), Cristian Martinez (Columbus Crew SC), Michael Murillo (New York Red Bulls) and Roman Torres (Seattle Sounders FC).
The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will take place from June 14 through July 15, and Panama will compete in Group G against Belgium (June 18 in Sochi), England (June 24 in Nizhny Novgorod) and Tunis (June 28 in Saransk). All matches will be televised in the United States on Fox Sports and Telemundo.
Panama’s Preliminary Roster
Goalkeepers: José Calderón (Chorrillo FC), Jaime Penedo (Dinamo Bucharest), Alex Rodríguez (San Francisco FC).
Defenders: Azmahar Ariano (Patriotas FC), Felipe Baloy (CSD Municipal), Harold Cummings (San Jose Earthquakes), Eric Davis (DAC Dunajska Streda), Fidel Escobar (New York Red Bulls), Adolfo Machado (Houston Dynamo), Michael Murillo (New York Red Bulls), Luis Ovalle (CD Olimpia), Francisco Palacios (San Francisco FC), Richard Peralta (Alianza), Román Torres (Seattle Sounders FC).
Midfielders: Ricardo Ávila (KAA Gent), Edgar Barcenas (Cafetaleros de Tapachula), Ricardo Buitrago (CSD Municipal), Miguel Camargo (Universidad San Martín de Porres), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Tauro FC), Armando Cooper (Club Universidad de Chile), Aníbal Godoy (San Jose Earthquakes), Gabriel Gómez (Bucaramanga), José González (Unión Comercio), Cristian Martínez (Columbus Crew), Valentín Pimentel (Plaza Amador), Alberto Quintero (Universitario de Lima), José Luis Rodríguez (KAA Gent).
Forwards: Abdiel Arroyo (LD Alajuelense), Rolando Blackburn (Chorrillo FC), Ismael Díaz (Deportivo La Coruña), José Fajardo (CA Independiente), Roberto Nurse (Mineros Zacatecas), Blas Pérez (CSD Municipal), Luis Tejada (Sports Boys), Gabriel Torres (CD Huachipato).
