Panama praying for a miracle to topple mighty Spain tonight

Panama’s best hope of ending Spain’s year-long unbeaten run in a friendly in Panama City tonight?

Field 22 men in a bulked-up defensive formation, jokes coach Julio Cesar Dely Valdes.

“The best thing to take on Spain would be to allow us to play with 22 players instead of 11,” Dely Valdes joked. “Against Spain it is absurd to think of it as just another team.

“You can’t take them head on. Everything we try to do in games will have to doubled. Twice the attention, the concentration, the effort, helping each other out and so on.”

Spain are world and European champions and top the world rankings, last losing in a 1-0 friendly reverse in England a year ago. Since then they have won Euro 2012 and top their 2014 World Cup qualifying group. Panama are ranked 46th in the world but have reached the final stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying competition.

Vicente del Bosque has rested stalwarts such as Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Gerard Pique and Fernando Torres. Chelsea’s Juan Mata, who was left out of the last three Spain squads, is back in the side and had words of praise for Panama coach Valdes.

“Dely Valdes played for Real Oviedo,” Mata said, “I have seen goals he scored. He is the image of football in this country and I am sure he will imbue his team with the same footballing spirit he had.”