Outside of the United States and Mexico, the only other team which figured to have any chance of winning the Gold Cup this year was Costa Rica. The Ticos though, find themselves in need of at least a point to have any chance whatsoever to get through to the quarterfinals of this tournament in the last group stage match in Group B versus Canada.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Home field advantage means a ton in soccer in general, but after the women's soccer team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the World Cup here on Canadian soil, we're not all that sure how much of a role the fans in Toronto will really play when it comes to urging their men's team on to victory.
Not surprisingly, Costa Rica is an odds-on favorite in this match at -105. The Ticos know that a loss in this match, and there's a great chance that they will be seen out of the Gold Cup. A draw will at least ensure finishing third, and three points should be good enough to get into the quarterfinals from there. A win will remove any doubt of qualifying for the quarters.
Keep in mind as well, that a third place finish could match Costa Rica up with the United States in the quarterfinals, a match no one wants to play.
Canada, which needs a win and a win only to have any shot of continuing on in this tournament, is lined at +300 to take the three points.
The total is set very low at 2 (under -125).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Without a long term play in place, we are literally making it up as we go along. We can't continue to do that. Here we are now, 15 years on from our greatest achievement on the men's side in winning a CONCACAF championship, and I don't know that we're any further along now than we were then." – Canada striker Mark Watson on what's wrong with his side's growth as a program here in the Gold Cup
RECENT FORM
Offense has been incredibly difficult for Canada to come by here in the Gold Cup. The team has yet to score a goal in the competition, and it was fortunate to just get its one point from a scoreless draw with El Salvador to start things off in Group B.
Costa Rica though, has been a big disappointment. The team fell behind Jamaica 1-0 early on but fought back to take a 2-1 lead in the second half. The Ticos blew the lead though, and they were very lucky to not concede a third in one of their worst defensive matches in quite some time. That 2-2 draw was a little more palatable than the 1-1 draw was against El Salvador on Saturday night, a match which really should have been won.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Both of these teams have some talent for sure. Bryan Ruiz is only a year removed from being one of the big heroes at the World Cup for Costa Rica, while Cyle Larin is a tremendously dangerous striker for Canada, as he has proven for Orlando City in the MLS.
Though there's no doubt that Costa Rica has the better 11 men on the pitch for this match, this is one of those games which could produce a shocking result. Canada hasn't been very forward-thinking, but one counterattack to get Larin in some space could make this a very dangerous match for the Ticos. Toronto is a fantastic soccer town, and it supports Toronto FC as well as any other group does for its team in the MLS. If BMO Field gets rocking, Costa Rica could crack under the pressure.
This 3 to 1 price is a great one on Canada in the last Group B match of the Gold Cup.
Canada 1, Costa Rica 0
BookMaker has live Gold Cup odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Costa Rica of -105 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 Costa Rica and Canada will take place at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1.
