With Costa Rica not really in the best form at the moment, many are starting to believe that the only team which can oust the United States from the Gold Cup aside from Mexico is Jamaica. The Reggae Boyz will be on the same pitch as the Americans on Saturday, but not at the same time. They'll be playing in the second match of the day in Baltimore against upstart Haiti.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Thanks to the fact that the Haitians really played well in Group A, they are considered to be a plausible team to back in this one. They are a lot closer to a pick 'em than many would have thought, though.
The Jamaicans are still favored, but they aren't anywhere near odds on at +140 on the moneyline. They're also PK -150 on the Asian Handicap, which more or less is insinuating that the oddsmakers are asking you to bet on them instead of Haiti.
The total in this duel is low due to the lack of goal-scoring prowess on either side. The number to beat is just 2 (under -135).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I told him, your time is coming. Now we need him, he told me he don't want to play. You have no chance when you think about I, I, I. No, it's the we that's important; we the team, that's important." – Jamaican manager Winfried Schafer on Alvas Powell, who left the squad and has returned to the MLS prior to the knockout rounds of the Gold Cup
RECENT FORM
Jamaica should be proud of how it reached this point in the competition. The team fought to a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in a duel where it blew a 1-0 lead and came back from down 2-1 to get a point, and it followed that with a methodical 1-0 win over Canada. The last match against El Salvador wasn't a thing of beauty, but the three points it got was good enough to win Group B in somewhat stunning fashion over a Costa Rican side which was heavily favored to top the foursome.
Haiti had to fight through Group A to get into the knockout round. The team acquitted itself well in its first two matches against both Panama and the United States. The real shock though, was the fact that it was able to beat Honduras to knock a team which was in the World Cup knockout rounds just two years ago out of this tournament.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Jamaicans have some real problems right now. Not only is Powell gone, but just since the start of the tournament, Jermaine Taylor has been injured with a hamstring problem and both Je-Vaughn Watson and Darren Mattocks have earned suspensions. All four will be out of the fold for this one.
The big problem that Haiti will have is that Kervens Belfort, arguably their best attacking option, won't be in the lineup due to injury. Duckens Nazon is going to once again be asked to really shoulder the load for this team, and we don't see how it is all going to work that well.
In the end, the under is the best play here. It wouldn't be stunning if this match went the distance without a goal. Penalties could be in store for these two.
Haiti 0, Jamaica 0 (Haiti advances on penalty kicks)
BookMaker has live Gold Cup odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Jamaica of +140 and a total of 2 (under -135) 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 Jamaica and Haiti will take place at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2.
