Panama beat Ecuador on penalties to finish third

Panama beat Ecuador 7-6 on penalties on Monday, October 5, 2026, following a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes. The result at Tokyo’s National Stadium gave Panama third place in the Kirin Cup, while Ecuador finished fourth and last.

What was the Panama vs. Ecuador result?

The score at the end of regulation was Panama 1-1 Ecuador. Because the competition did not use extra time to settle drawn matches, the teams went directly to penalties. Panama won the shootout 7-6.

That distinction matters: the match was level after 90 minutes, with Panama prevailing only in the tiebreaker. According to AS’s report on the result, Juan Riquelme Angulo missed the kick that left Ecuador behind in the shootout.

Why did the match go straight to penalties?

The 2026 Kirin Cup brought together Japan, Ecuador, New Zealand and Panama in a four-team knockout tournament. The regulations published by the JFA specified two 45-minute halves and, if the score remained level, an immediate penalty shootout with no extra time.

That format sent Panama and Ecuador to the spot after the 1-1 draw. The match decided third place because neither side advanced to the final from the opening round.

Where did the two teams finish?

The shootout success placed Panama third. Ecuador ended the competition in fourth place. The official Kirin Cup page confirms that tournament matches were staged on October 1 in Yokohama and October 5 at Tokyo’s National Stadium.

Panama’s placing should be read precisely: third place came through a penalty-shootout win after a draw. For Ecuador, defeat in the shootout concluded a tournament in which the team did not record a win.

What does the result mean for Panama?

Before the game, the Panamanian Football Federation preview noted that Panama had never beaten Ecuador in seven previous meetings, recording five defeats and two draws. The shootout success was therefore Panama’s first time prevailing over Ecuador in a match decider, although the 90-minute score remains a draw.

The federation also described the match as Panama’s final test of its Asian tour before the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals scheduled for November. The result closes the Kirin Cup with a podium finish before attention returns to regional competition.

What is Ecuador’s immediate context?

Ecuador entered the match after losing to South Korea and drawing 0-0 with Japan. The team had also been beaten on penalties by the Japanese. Against Panama, Ecuador again drew in regulation and lost the ensuing shootout.

According to AS, Marcelo Gallardo’s first three matches in charge brought no win: one defeat and two draws that were followed by shootout losses. The 1-1 score did at least supply Ecuador’s first goal in that three-game spell after the side failed to score in its first two matches.

The result in one clear line

The direct answer is: Panama 1-1 Ecuador after 90 minutes; Panama 7-6 Ecuador on penalties. Panama finished third and Ecuador fourth. This wording preserves both the regulation draw and the winner determined under the Kirin Cup’s official format.