Gold Cup Picks - Matchday 3
The 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup is in full swing now with the two favourites Mexico and the United States finding their best form early on. El Tri have already secured their passage into the quarter finals while the USA will be aiming to join them as group winners this week. Here are four tips from matchday three.
Red Bull Arena, Monday June 24
Both Haiti and Costa Rica have six points from their first two group games at this summer’s Gold Cup. This meeting at Red Bull Arena will decide who finishes top of Group B, which could set up the winner nicely for the rest of the tournament with the losers set to face favourites and frontrunners Mexico in the quarter finals.
These two countries have met eight times previously with Costa Rica unbeaten in all eight games. However, only two of those matches have produced over 2.5 goals. Haiti have only scored more than once on one occasion, although this is a team with momentum behind them after back-to-back wins over the past week.
1.25u - Back Under 2.5 Total Goals @ -123
Banc of California Stadium, Tuesday June 25
With four points from their opening two Gold Cup games, anything but a defeat will see Jamaica progress out of the group. There’s a lot on the line for Curacao as well - a win will see them move into the knockout rounds. Their surprise win over Honduras over the weekend has set the underdogs up nicely, giving them a chance of providing one of the storylines of the tournament.
Jamaica have scored over 2.5 goals just once in their last five matches. Indeed, they have struggled to find firepower in the final third at various points over 2019, demonstrated by their failure to find the net against El Salvador in their last group game. This could be another low scoring encounter.
0.75u - Back Jamaica Under 1.5 Goals @ -114
Children’s Mercy Park, Wednesday June 26
Trinidad & Tobago come into this game on the back of a 6-0 mauling at the hands of the United States in their last group game. Their second half collapse was most concerning, with the host nation scoring no fewer than five goals after the scoreline had been just 1-0 at the half time interval.
This is something of a dead rubber with both Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana without a single point to their name after their opening two group games in Group D. This fixture will be about the race to not finish bottom of the standings and despite their thrashing to the USA Trinidad & Tobago will fancy their chances of claiming a win in Kansas City.
1u - Back Trinidad & Tobago Win @ -275
Children’s Mercy Park, Wednesday June 26
There is a prize for the winner of this match - top spot in Group D. Both Panama and the United States have six points from their opening two games at this summer’s Gold Cup and so the result of this match will determine either team’s route through the rest of the tournament. Both sides will want to make a run to the latter stages, so this matters.
The USA have 10 goals from their opening two games while Panama have six. This should be a much tighter affair, though. These are two of the best teams in this summer’s Gold Cup although given the USA’s start to the tournament they will be considered slight favourites to claim three points from this match.
1.25u - Back Both Teams to Score @ +105