Surprises have been abound in the 2015 Gold Cup, but perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised to see Jamaica put together a good showing in Group B. The Reggae Boyz will win their group and lock up a quarterfinal spot in this tournament if they can beat El Salvador on Tuesday night in Toronto.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Jamaicans were probably always favored to at least make the quarterfinals of this tournament, and barring an epic set of results, they'll be into the next round anyway no matter what happens here in Toronto on Tuesday. That said, they are deserving +115 moneyline favorites in this fixture.
El Salvador does have a pair of draws to its credit in the Gold Cup, two fine results for a team ranked No. 88 in the World FIFA Rankings. A third draw would probably see El Salvador through to the quarters, though only three points doesn't guarantee anything but a third place finish in the group and a hope to get in as one of the top two third place teams.
The Group B matches have been relatively low-scoring. El Salvador has only seen a total of two goals in its two fixtures, and though Jamaica does have that 2-2 draw to Costa Rica to its name, it has generally been a lower scoring teams as well.
The total for this one is understandably very low at 2 (under -125).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"There has to be a lot of confidence going forward. Obviously we took a lot of confidence coming out of the Copa America, and obviously we have translated it into this tournament as well and against one of the favorites, Costa Rica. We really felt we could have won the game." – Jamaica forward Giles Barnes on his team's performance thus far in the Gold Cup
RECENT FORM
Barnes is certainly right about one thing: Jamaica could have beaten Costa Rica. The Reggae Boyz were basically on point all game long with the Ticos, something which clearly wasn't expected. Jamaica deserves all the credit in the world for fighting back in that match after blowing a 1-0 lead and falling behind 2-1 to get that point, which might turn out to be a crucial one when this group is settled. After that, the Jamaicans mustered a win over Canada courtesy of a Rodolph Austin header right at the death.
El Salvador has found ways to pack in the bus with its 4-2-3-1 formation. Not a lot is getting through in terms of quality chances, and the results are clear with just one goal allowed in two games against Costa Rica and Canada.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
We really question El Salvador in this match. Can this team really go forward and score a goal? Take away two matches against Saint Kitts and Nevis in World Cup qualifying, and what's left is one goal scored in six matches played thus far in 2015.
If La Selecta has to push forward, the back formation is going to be strained just a bit. Jamaica doesn't have the most skill in this tournament up top, but Darren Mattocks and Barnes are both incredibly fast and can open up holes in a defense in a heartbeat.
Once Jamaica gets that lead though, we suspect that this match will settle back into being a defensive battle. The Reggae Boyz aren't going to concede one here, and that will ensure their safety, possibly pushing El Salvador out of the Gold Cup in the process.
Jamaica 1, El Salvador 0
BookMaker has Gold Cup lines for every match of the season. Jamaica is lined as a +115 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 2 (under -125). You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Jamaica and El Salvador is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. ET at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
