Pedro Chaluja, president of the Panama federation, said he will request a formal investigation into "officiating irregularities" at the CONCACAF Gold Cup Panama vs. Mexico match.
Chaluja, who has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. ET on Friday in Philadelphia, made the announcement via Twitter, adding that the federation "will exhaust all resources" to determine "those who are guilty for this robbery."
Pedro Chaluja, presidente de @fepafut, solicitará se investigue las irregularidades arbittales ocurridas en el PANvMEX de @GoldCup @CONCACAF
- FEPAFUT (@fepafut) July 23, 2015
Asegura Chaluja que @fepafut agotará todas las instancias e irá a las últimas consecuencias con tal de encontrar los culpables de este robo.
- FEPAFUT (@fepafut) July 23, 2015
Panama will play the United States in the third-place game on Saturday in suburban Philadelphia, after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Mexico in the semifinal. The Panama Football Federation on Thursday blasted the Gold Cup officiating and called for the removal of CONCACAF's entire referees committee following controversial calls during the match.
Both Panama and the United States teams traveled in the same plane on Thursday night from Atlanta to Philadelphia, with the flight delayed by rain, although Chaluja confirmed the team's arrival in Philadelphia for the match, also via Twitter.
La selección #PanamáMayor ya está en Philadelphia, sede del partido por el 3er y 4to lugar de @GoldCup ante @ussoccer pic.twitter.com/taxRAc6t5s
- FEPAFUT (@fepafut) July 23, 2015
Meanwhile, Panamanian singer Ruben Blades sent messages of encouragement to his country's team via Facebook, saying that Panama must go into the third-place Gold Cup game with their heads held high because "they played well and they know it."
Con nuestro afecto, respeto y esperanza caminen muchachos.No permitan que lo que ocurrió anoche lastime su espíritu, ni...
Posted by Rubén Blades on Jueves, 23 de julio de 2015
"Don't let what happened last night damage your spirit or affect your game," the seven-time Grammy award and five-time Latin Grammy award winner wrote. "Show what you can do on the pitch and off it. Don't take the hatred nor the desire for revenge with you because that weakens your spirit and no one is deserving of it. Play with your heart and soul and show that class kills hatred because we in Panama deserve everyone's respect.
"Panama, hold your head high. You played well and you know it," Blades said in his Facebook message on Friday. "Teacher life gives, takes away, takes away and gives. There is always the future. Love and Control. Thanks for your effort and spirit! Rubén."