From NashvilleSC.com
Nashville Soccer Club announced today in conjunction with the Federations of U.S. Soccer and Panama the additions of defender Walker Zimmerman (United States) and midfielder Aníbal Godoy (Panama) to their respective National Team rosters for the final round of the FIFA World Cup™ Concacaf Qualifying matches.
Zimmerman and Godoy will square off on March 27 in Orlando, Fla. when the United States takes on Godoy’s Panamanian side at 6 p.m. CT on FS1, TUDN and UniMás. Prior to their international departure, however, the pair will travel with Nashville SC to take on Real Salt Lake at 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
The top three spots in the FIFA World Cup™ Concacaf Qualifying standings earn an automatic qualifying bid to Qatar 2022, while the fourth place will move onto an intercontinental playoff round.
Ahead of this final three-match window of play remaining, the United States currently sit in second place, tied with Mexico but with a better goal differential (+9).
Zimmerman has been a mainstay for the United States Men’s National Team since making his debut on Feb. 4, 2017, registering 25 caps. In 2021, the defender led the Stars and Stripes to an 8W-1L-1D record, six clean sheets and a 20-6 positive goal differential. His leadership and growth within the National Team also earned him his first captaincy on July 16, 2021, an armband he has worn in five occasions since then.
In his most recent call up, Zimmerman started in two WCQ matches against El Salvador (Jan. 28, 2022) and Honduras (Feb. 3, 2022) with both matches resulting in shutout victories for the United States. In the match against Honduras, Zimmerman served as the captain while scoring a goal and registering an assist for the first time in the same match in his international career.
At the club level, Zimmerman was named 2021 Major League Soccer Defender of the Year and to the 2021 MLS Best XI after anchoring a Nashville SC backline that led the league in shutouts with 13 alongside the Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls, as well as in fewest total goals conceded (33) alongside the New York Red Bulls and Seattle Sounders FC and on the road (15).
Entering this final round of Qualifying competition, Godoy and Panama currently sit in fourth place in the standings, with 17 points. Costa Rica is close behind in fifth place with 16 points.
Godoy has been a cornerstone for Panama for over a decade earning a total of 115 caps since making his debut on March 3, 2010. The midfielder competed in all three matches in Panama’s first FIFA World Cup™ appearance in 2018 and in four Concacaf Gold Cup Tournaments.
In 2021, Godoy appeared in 12 FIFA World Cup™ Concacaf Qualifying matches as Panama earned a 7W-2L-3D record. The Panamanian leader scored the game-winning goal against the United States Men’s National Team in a 1-0 victory on Oct. 11.
At the club level, Godoy has 150 Major League Soccer regular season appearances in his career, including 49 with Nashville SC. In 2021, Godoy set a career-high with five assists as he led the Boys in Gold to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Godoy started the 2022 MLS season with a bang, registering the game-winning goal for Nashville SC against Seattle Sounders FC on opening night. It was Godoy’s seventh career MLS goal, six of which have been game-winners.
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