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New York Red Bulls' Michael Amir Murillo didn't play in Panama's 0-0 draw with Costa Rica on June 8, and isn't necessarily expected to see a minute on the field against Honduras on June 13. But his presence (most likely) on the bench for this match and the possibility he might get some playing time is the primary reason for RBNY fans to take an interest in this game.
There are other reasons, of course. First, for RBNY fans who also support USMNT, Panama looks like the USA's chief rival for the third and final automatic qualifying spot out of CONCACAF for the 2018 World Cup. If Los Canaleros win this game, they will leapfrog the USA and take third place in the standings of the CONCACAF Hexagonal: the six-team final round of World Cup qualifying for the region.
One would still make the USA the comfortable favorite to clinch an automatic qualifying spot, mostly because Panama has to play USMNT in America in October - and if there is still a race to Russia between these teams by then, one would expect the USA to pull away at that point.
USMNT is also favored over Panama because currently the fact Los Canaleros are even in the World Cup qualifying hunt at all looks a little anomalous. Panama is the only team in the Hex to date to have dropped points to Trinidad and Tobago (it lost 1-0 in Port of Spain in March), and its attack has yet turn up for the competition: the team has scored only two goals in its five Hexagonal games to date, and one of those was from a free kick by defender Fidel Escobar.
Panama's defense has kept it on the road to Russia, conceding only two goals in the Hex so far. Honduras, conversely, has scored a respectable four goals in five games, but catastrophically conceded 12 - six in one game against the USA. This match looks like a tipping point for Los Catrachos: win in Panama and they are back on track to at least compete for a World Cup place; lose and they will need a lot of help to breach the top three (or even the top four) of the final standings of the Hexagonal.
Per livesoccertv.com, here's where to find the game if watching from the USA:
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