Panama coach Gary Stempel has stated his confidence in his team's ability to reach the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is set to get underway in the USA on July 3.

Panama head into the tournament as the UNCAF Nations Cup champions and have been drawn in Group C alongside Mexico, Nicaragua and Guadeloupe.

The top two teams in each group and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the quarter-finals.

"I know the group is not easy to get out of at all, but I have confidence in the sort of players I am taking in an effort to reach the final stage," Stempel said.

Panama have lost 3-1 to Argentina and 3-2 to Jamaica and drawn 1-1 with Haiti in their warm-up matches.

On Sunday, they play Honduras before another exhibition game against the Carolina Railhawks.

Stempel has named his strongest squad, including goalkeeper Jaime Penedo of Guatemalan side Municipal, Monterrey defender Felipe Baloy, Nelson Barahona and Amilcar Henriquez of Colombian outfit Huila, and attackers Blas Perez from Tigres and Jose Luis Garces of Portugal's Academica.

Panama squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup
Goalkeepers: Jaime Penedo (Municipal), Oscar McFarlane (CNI), Jose Calderon (Chepo)
Defenders: Felipe Baloy (Monterrey), Roman Torres (La Equidad), Carlos Rivera (San Francisco), Luis Moreno (Tauro FC), Joel Solanilla (Sporting SM), Jose Anthony Torres (Guatastoya), Armando Gun (Chepo)
Midfielders: Gabriel Gomez (Belenenses), Alberto Blanco (Maccabi Netanya), Nelson Barahona, Amilcar Henriquez (both Huila), Rolando Escobar (Caracas), Victor Herrera, Ricardo Phillips, Manuel Torres (all San Francisco)
Forwards: Blas Perez (Tigres), Jose Luis Garces (Academica), Luis Tejada (Millonarios), Nicolas Munoz (Vista Hermosa).