Home team and co-favorite to win the tournament, the US Men's National Team kicks off its 2017 Gold Cup against the only opponent expected to really test it in the group stage.
The USA has not sent its strongest roster to Gold Cup as head coach Bruce Arena seeks to develop his player pool and perhaps unearth one or two new challengers for places in his perceived best XI. With Martinique and Nicaragua to follow in Group B, it is against Panama - a rival in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 World Cup - that the likes of Dom Dwyer, Matt Miazga, and Dax McCarty can really press a claim for selection to the World Cup qualifying rosters that Arena will be selecting later in the year.