Panama name nine World Cup players for Brazil friendly

Panama City, March 5 (IANS) Panama coach Dely Valdes has included nine players from the country's 2018 football World Cup squad in his 18-man list for a friendly against Brazil later this month.Among them are Alaves midfielder Jose Rodriguez, New York Red Bulls defender Michael Amir Murillo and LA Galaxy midfielder Ernesto Walker, the Panamanian Football Federation said on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.The squad also includes uncapped 20-year-old right-back Cesar Blackman, who plays his club football for Slovakia's FC DAC 1904.The match, to be played at Porto's Estadio do Dragao on March 23, will be Panama's first since former Paris Saint-Germain striker Dely Valdes replaced Englishman Gary Stempel as head coach last month.Panama lost each of their three group matches at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the team's first appearance in football's showpiece tournament.
--IANS gau/bg