Like it or hate it, Mexico is playing for the Gold Cup on Sunday in the City of Brotherly Love. No matter how controversial El Tri has been, they are playing for it all CONCACAF's biggest competition, and they are doing so against one of the best stories we've ever had in this tournament.
Clearly, this is the biggest game in the history of Jamaica's soccer team.
ODDS ANALYSIS
You would figure that Mexico would end up being a massive favorite against the Reggae Boyz. However, thanks to the fact that El Tri has more or less screwed around this entire tournament and has been anything but impressive, it is only favored by a -115 margin on the moneyline. That means that the oddsmakers are seeing this as more or less a 50/50 proposition whether the Mexicans win this match in regular time or not.
Understanding that this is a final, the total is tremendously low. The number to beat is just 2 (under -125).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It was painful. Yes, for a minute yes [I considered kicking it wide], but in the end, we are professionals and you think about the times you have been on the other side and the hearts of the other team's players aren't moved. I repeat, this is football. Sometimes you are given and sometimes it is taken away. Whether it should have been a penalty or not, that is not our fault." – Mexico captain Andres Guardado on the penalty which was awarded to his team in the dying moments against Panama in the semifinal
RECENT FORM
For our money, Mexico is an awful excuse for a finalist in this tournament. The team probably should have never gotten the penalty which ultimately beat Costa Rica, and it certainly didn't deserve to beat Panama in the semifinal.
El Tri fell behind the Panamanians 1-0 in spite of the fact that there were just 10 men on the field in red for most of the game on Wednesday night. There was never those one or two opportunities at goal which simply had to hit the back of the net. Mexico was lucky to get the penalty which leveled the team, though to its credit, it did completely outplay Panama in the extra time and was deserving of the result in the last 30 minutes.
Jamaica's biggest win in its history came on Wednesday against the United States. The Reggae Boyz weren't bullied around the pitch as most suspected would be the case, and after they struck the first time, the second score wasn't far behind either. That was enough to get the job done.
Keep in mind that the Jamaicans had really played well to get this far as well. The team went 2-1-0 in Group B, then it dismissed Haiti in the quarters.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Giles Barnes and Darren Mattocks were both excellent against the Americans, but they haven't had a fantastic tournament overall for Jamaica at the front. If they aren't able to work some openings in this Mexican defense, El Tri is going to be on the ball a ton.
The best news for Mexico as we see it is that Carlos Vela is going to be suspended for this match with yellow card accumulation. Vela has been miserable up front, and though Oribe Peralta hasn't been fantastic either, it's entirely possible that Giovani Dos Santos could be back in the fold to rescue the team. Either way, we suspect that Mexico, deservingly or not, will win the Gold Cup.
Mexico 2, Jamaica 0
BookMaker has live Gold Cup odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Mexico of -115 and a total of 2 (under -125) right now! BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer game now!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The fixture between Mexico and Jamaica will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 26, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1.
