A decade after being on the losing end of a Gold Cup penalty shootout in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Jaime Penedo helped Panama enjoy shootout glory.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.— Everybody wanted to talk to Jaime Penedo. It didn’t matter that he was a little busy at the time.

Facing a penalty shootout that would determine his Panamanian national team’s fate in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Penedo kept having people tell him things. At one point, the referee reminded him that if Trinidad and Tobago’s next penalty was converted, Panama would be eliminated (that penalty attempt sailed over). Then, after converting Panama’s eighth penalty attempt, teammate Blas Perez raced over and whispered in Penedo’s ear to remind of him the days when the two were children playing soccer for fun.

It was that kind of surreal ending to Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal, as round after round of the penalty shootout came and went, some with misses, some with conversions, culminating in a picture-perfect Penedo save in the 10th round of penalties to send Panama to the semifinals.

“It’s a very good moment for us,” Penedo said after the match. “Now we’re in the semifinals, there’s also the Copa America Centenario, we knew one of the ways in was this game, and we’ll see if that tournament is played. It’s a very important win.”

It was fitting that he saved the final penalty kick on what was very close to the 10-year anniversary of another fateful Gold Cup penalty shootout. Penedo was in goal a decade ago when Panama lost to the United States in the final via penalty kicks. A disappointing ending of a tournament that served as a breakout performance for Penedo, who was one of Panama's stars on the way to the final, and in the final.

Ten years and more than 100 caps later, Penedo is a fixture for the Canaleros, developing into one of the team’s most influential players. In this, his sixth Gold Cup, Penedo has been a stabilizing force for a Panama team that has shown some flashes at times, but has technically managed four straight draws so far in this Gold Cup.

“Penedo) is a fundamental player for us because of his style of life, his quality as a person and his capability as a player and how he trains,” Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez said. “He’s one of the captains of the team.

“He’s a very fast goalkeeper. He reminds me, a little, in terms of speed, of Rene Hiquita,” Gomez said. “He’s a leader, he has impressive qualities, good technique, and he’s very fast.”

Penedo made five saves during the match, and when the penalty round began, things looked dire for Panama when Roman Torres missed the first penalty attempt for the ‘Canaleros’.

“Roman is very confident taking penalties, then he misses, and I thought “Now I have to stop the next one because I have to even things up as soon as possible,” Penedo said. “Then they make it, but then we make ours and gain some confidence. Then they miss the next one and it evened things out.

“The key moment was when (Daniel Cyrus) took his kick, and if they made it they win. The referee told me that and I thought, 'Ugh,' but then he missed and we went on to win and now we can all smile.”

Another key moment during the penalty rounds took place in the eighth round, when an injured Perez converted his penalty, then ran over to his old friend to try and lighten the mood of a very tense shootout.

“I told him to remember the old times when we played as children, because Jaime used to attack penalties,” Perez said. “I told him, ‘Remember when we played at Estudiantes de Panama,' a soccer school where we played together around age 10-11. I told him that to motivate him and lift his spirits, but I never doubted that he would stop a penalty to win it for us."

“He reminded me of us when we were kids and moments from our childhood,” Penedo said, with a laugh. “He got real sentimental at that moment.”

It took another round of penalties for Penedo to play the hero, but the LA Galaxy goalkeeper provided the final moment of magic in the ninth round of penalties, when he stretched to his left to complete a diving stop of Lester Peltier’s penalty kick and book Panama’s place in the Gold Cup semifinals.

“I think every moment has it’s sensation and own emotion,” Penedo said when asked to describe the sensation. “Like when people ask me what’s better, winning the league title in Guatemala or winning it in MLS, and I tell them each one has its own flavor and feeling. Each one is divine in the moment.

“They’re different games, different moments. I feel real joy because today was a real blessing to be able to advance to the next round.”

Penedo wore a wide smile and even had time for a laugh when asked if he was ready to take a penalty if his turn had come.

“I’m glad I didn’t have to take one,” Penedo said. “Because it would have gone in the stands.”