USA in pole position for CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A

CONCACAF Gold Cup holders the USA look worth investing in from a betting perspective to keep hold of the trophy at 13/8 with Coral, because their group looks simplicity itself and beyond that their main tournament rivals are missing key personnel.

The Stars and Stripes play Caribbean nation Haiti, plus Central American countries Honduras and Panama in their pool.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s men kick off Group A with their sternest test against fellow 2014 World Cup finalists Honduras (8/1 chances to pip the States to top spot), who have decided to make sweeping changes to their squad since Brazil.

Maynor Figueroa is the only familiar face, meaning the likes of Emilio Izaguirre and Wilson Palacios have been left out. That’s all to the good for the USA, who are at full strength.

There’s several Premier League names past and present on Klinsmann’s roster, which has more about it than their three pool opponents put together can muster. Aston Villa stopper Brad Guzan keeps goal, while in front of him are Tottenham full back DeAndre Yedlin and Bolton Wanderers left-footer Tim Ream.

Michael Bradley, son of former Stars and Stripes coach Bob, captains his country from midfield here and was once briefly a temporary teammate of Guzan’s at Villa Park.

Klinsmann has been able to keep his World Cup engine room together with Mix Diskerud and Alejandro Bedoya also on the roster. Familiar faces are also up front with former Fulham forward Clint Dempsey joining ex-Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore leading the attack.

Although the latter flopped spectacularly at the Stadium of Light, he seldom lets his country down and has easy opposition to come in Haiti and Panama.

The Central American nation still look heavily reliant on veteran Blas Perez for goals and guile at 34, but he is a fading force at FC Dallas.

With Haiti holding no noteworthy names in their ranks, it’s little wonder the USA are firm odds-on 3/10 favourites to be top dogs in Gold Cup Group A.