Early birds Panama look to put on a dignified performance

Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup - Panama Training - Panama City, Panama - May 15, 2018. Panama's coach Hernan Dario Gomez and players attend a training session. Picture taken May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Lemos

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez believes his side have qualified for their first World Cup earlier than they should have done and is limiting his ambitions to putting on a dignified display.

Unlike in most Latin American countries, football does not have a strong tradition in Panama and it lagged behind boxing, baseball and basketball in popularity until a few years ago.