USA vs Mexico
Get ready for the resumption of a serious rivalry this weekend, when USA and Mexico meet in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final at Soldier Field in Illinois, Chicago.
It’s the final everyone hoped for, SBOBET football fans included; two pretty well matched and well-supported teams will fight it out in a battle royal to be crowned kings of North and Central America.
And these two nations are serious rivals. Mexico is sitting in 18th in the FIFA World Rankings, some 12 places above the USA, and head coach Gregg Berhalter will hope home advantage can even things up for the USA team. But El Tri is on a fine run of form under its own boss Gerardo Martino and arguably has the better players.
Talking Points
A fierce rivalry resumes
The USA charged through to the final with a 3-1 win over Jamaica at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, while Mexico triumphed over Haiti in extra time in their semi-final. And that sets up a final fixture with a rich history of battles in which neither side wants to give any quarter.
USA and Mexico are the powerhouses of CONCACAF, and when the two giants clash the reverberations are felt throughout America. The rivalry began as far back as 1934, and there have been many clashes since in this tournament. Home advantage means a lot. In 2012 the US recorded an historic victory at the Estadio Azteca, their first on Mexican soil for 75 years.
Pulisic is head and shoulders above the rest
Chelsea fans must be delighted with the form of Christian Pulisic. The attacking midfielder has been in superb form for the US; and if he carries that form into the Premier League then his £58m price tag attached to his move from Borussia Dortmund will look like money well spent.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup 2019 highlights are going to feature this boy, without a shadow of doubt. The 20 year old scored a brace in the semi-final to win his second consecutive man-of-the-match award and he showed the tenacious side of his game, scoring both goals from rebounds: “As a young kid I always learned to follow up shots,” he said. “There’s going to be rebounds for you and all goals count the same.”
That brace took Pulisic onto three goals for the tournament, and 13 in total for the US, alongside his nine assists. Meanwhile, striker Weston McKennie scored his second in two games with the opener against the Reggae Boys.
These are exciting days for US soccer fans, as well as the men’s team contesting this final, the women’s team is in the World Cup Final in France after beating the English Lionesses in their semi-final.
Jimenez can fire Mexico to glory
An extra time goal courtesy of Wolves striker Raul Jimenez was enough to send Mexico through to the final after a testing challenge at the State Farm Stadium against a physical Haiti side.
Jiminez has been a revelation in his first season in the Premier League with Wolves, and he is Mexico’s biggest goal threat, operating alongside the busy Rodolfo Pizarro.
El Tri is led by hugely experienced midfielder Andres Guardado; the Real Betis star leads by example, with 28 goals from his 158 caps, and Mexico has some high quality defenders to cope with the threat of Pulisic.
Real Sociedad’s Hector Moreno and Fenerbahce’s Diego Reyes have over 160 caps between them and are cool on the ball and quick in the tackle.
History
Recent form will be a useful guide for our CONCACAF Gold Cup 2019 betting tips but neither side has shown much weakness in recent months. El Tri is on a winning streak of nine matches while the USA has won five on the bounce.
Mexico is ten times winner of CONCACAF while the Stars and Stripes have picked up the trophy on six occasions.
El Tri has the better of the head to heads, though the USA has had more success in recent times. Since their opening encounter in 1934, Mexico has won 34 to USA’s 18 and there have been 15 draws. But since the turn of the century the USA has won 13 to Mexico’s seven and there have been six draws.
Betting Tip
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USA vs Mexico | Mexico 1×2 @ 2.18 |
| July 08, 09:00(GMT+8) |
The USA is available at odds of 2.92 and the draw is at 3.15, but I’m giving El Tri my backing to make it ten wins on the bounce and lift the trophy.
The Stars and Stripes have the most exciting player in Pulisic, but Mexico has the experience and cutting edge to upset the locals in Chicago.
It should be a tight clash and the most likely result is 1-1 at 5.20, while a narrow 0-1 victory for El Tri is at 5.60.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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