Panama coach Thomas Christiansen did not want his comments to sound like an excuse, but after seeing his team surrender their lead and settle for a 1-1 draw against India in Bengaluru, he pointed to the difficult circumstances surrounding their preparation.
Speaking at the post-match press conference at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Christiansen said Panama had not been able to train together sufficiently because of travel and logistical issues. He also revealed that the team's journey to the stadium on matchday took nearly two hours because of Bengaluru traffic. At the same time, he accepted responsibility for the result, with five players making their first starts for the senior national team as Panama begin a generational transition.
“A generational change is not easy. Five players got their first start today. The result is my fault. We didn’t have time to work, to train, because of the travel and logistics. But I’m happy to see them start with five debutants. We have to learn from this experience.”
“I don’t want this to sound like an excuse, but it is not easy to be in a bus for two hours in traffic to get to the stadium. The logistics and the travel here were also complicated. We have to be smarter when we sign these agreements again. I don’t want this to sound like an excuse, but we have to be careful with how we handle things inside and outside the pitch because our players deserve better.”
The five debutants were Marcos De Leon, Jair Modelo, Joseph Jones, Daivis Murillo and Mijahir Jimenez. Panama had also arrived in Bengaluru with considerable World Cup experience, with 14 members of their 2026 World Cup squad included in the group for the India friendly. However, the team Christiansen selected was clearly intended to mark the beginning of a new phase.
Panama stayed at the Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, while their training sessions were conducted at the Centre for Sports Excellence Phase 3 in Bettahalasuru in North Bengaluru. Their final training session took place on September 24, meaning the squad had already travelled across the city and returned before matchday.
The trip to Kanteerava on September 25 looked considerably shorter on paper. The hotel is only around 3-4 km away from the stadium, but Bengaluru traffic can turn a short distance into a lengthy journey. Christiansen said his players spent approximately two hours on the bus travelling to the stadium, making what should have been a routine matchday transfer a significant part of their afternoon.
For a side that had little time to train together, five players making their first starts and a new-look team still developing its understanding, those lost hours were significant for Christiansen. He was careful not to attribute the 1-1 result solely to the travel, but his argument was that the complicated logistics consumed time and energy Panama would have preferred to devote to preparing for India.
HOW INDIA PUSHED PANAMA BACK
The logistical difficulties were only one element of Christiansen’s assessment, with the match itself providing plenty for him to consider. India were not merely fortunate beneficiaries of a Panama side that lacked preparation. There were periods when the Blue Tigers controlled proceedings, forced the visitors into errors and, particularly in the first half, looked like the more convincing team.
Ryan Williams gave India the lead in the 41st minute after receiving a diagonal ball from Akash Mishra. The goal capped a first half in which India had gradually settled into the match. Panama entered the contest ranked 44th in the world and boasting a squad with recent World Cup experience, but India managed to make that difference in pedigree appear far less obvious for extended periods.
A clinical finish into the back of the net to give the Blue Tigers the breakthrough against Panama!
Watch India vs Panama, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network Channels, Sony LIV & Sony Aath!
“If you give them space and time, they can do whatever they want because they have some very good-quality players. They made it difficult for us, especially in our defensive line, with the second striker they had up front. It was difficult to manage that.”
“We were a little bit disorganised. That also gave India the possibility, when they recovered the ball, to go and attack because we were so spread out and our lines were too far apart. That was one of the main reasons why we didn’t come really well into the game.”
That was perhaps the clearest part of Christiansen’s analysis. India did not simply sit back and wait for Panama to make mistakes. They actively put the visitors under pressure and forced them into uncomfortable situations. Tekcham Singh remained busy on the right, while Anwar Ali and Bijoy Varghese handled Panama’s attacking movements effectively. Williams also posed a threat whenever India regained possession.
Even after Panama responded following the break, India continued to create opportunities. Omar Javier Valencia’s long-range strike in the 68th minute levelled the score and shifted momentum towards the visitors, but India still attacked and nearly restored their lead when Edmund Lalrindika came close following an excellent cross from Ashique Kuruniyan.
The 1-1 result therefore represented more than an ordinary friendly draw. Panama had 12 players in their matchday squad who had appeared at the 2026 World Cup, while five others were making their first senior international starts. Yet India managed to control significant stretches of the contest and force Christiansen's team to confront the areas where they had struggled.
For Christiansen, the Bengaluru experience is therefore something Panama must learn from rather than simply leave behind. He acknowledged that the preparation had been complicated, but his assessment also recognised India's quality and organisation in taking advantage whenever Panama lost their shape.
Panama will now continue their Asian tour by taking on New Zealand in Yokohama on October 1, before facing either Japan or Ecuador in Tokyo on October 5.
India, meanwhile, will move on to the two biggest challenges of this FIFA window. Khalid Jamil's team will play Brazil on October 3 and then Uruguay on October 6, with both matches scheduled to take place in Kolkata.
