Gold Cup Group C: Mexico clash with Cuba, Trinidad tackle Guatemala
CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C nations Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala ready themselves for their opening matches of the campaign, which take place at NFL outfit Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field stadium.
Mexico v Cuba
Aztecs boss Miguel Herrera was hit by the news that star striker Javier Hernandez had to pull out the tournament due to breaking his collarbone prior to the event, but his team are still heavy favourites with Coral to top their group at 1/6.
Record six-time champions Mexico (1/16 to win the match) have faced Caribbean country Cuba (28/1) in two Gold Cups in recent years, beating them on both occasions, including smashing them 5-0 in 2011. They are 10/1 chances to triumph by that scoreline once more.
Former Barcelona and Tottenham attacker Giovani Dos Santos bagged a brace that day for El Tri, so is evens to net anytime and 5/1 for two or more again.
Their main threats up front, meanwhile, will come from ex-Arsenal forward Carlos Vela and Oribe Peralta, who are both odds-on at 8/13 in the anytime market.
For Cuba, their whole squad consists of domestic-based players, but little-known attackers Armando Coroneaux, Ariel Martinez and Alain Cervantes jointly top the scoring market for them at 8/1.
Trinidad and Tobago v Guatemala
Although these two nations are barely fancied to win Group C, with Trinidad priced at 15/2 and Guatemala at 9/1, they have reached the semis at Gold Cups before, in 2000 and 1996 respectively.
This will almost certainly be the clash that decides who gets the second automatic group qualifying spot, and they are both priced at 13/8 for victory. A draw, therefore, may be the best shout at 9/4.
In their last five competitive meetings too, they have two wins apiece and shared the spoils last time out at the 2007 Gold Cup. The score was 1-1 that day, and there are odds available at 5/1 for that same result once more.
The high profile name of the match will no doubt be Cardiff City-owned Kenwyne Jones, who is the even-money favourite to net anytime here. Guatemala captain Carlos Ruiz, meanwhile, is 7/4 in the same market.
Betting tip – Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala draw @ 9/4