Mexico's soccer team has been through a heck of a lot of adversity over the course of the last several months since the World Cup. The pressure can be turned up just a little bit on El Tri if they don't do as they are supposed to do in the opening match against Cuba, this tournament could go south in a hurry.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Mexico is considered to be the only team in the Gold Cup which can beat the United States anywhere along the way.
El Tri is the second favorite to win the Gold Cup at +155, but more important for the purposes of this match, they are favored by 2.5-goals on the Asian Handicap. There probably isn't much of a doubt that they will end up getting the three points here in Chicago, but that spread is most certainly a question mark.
Thanks to the fact that Mexico is favored by such a huge margin, the total is significantly higher than your average match as well at 3.5 (over -115).
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It is always difficult to lose a teammate, above all one with the quality of Javier (Hernandez), more so personally than from a football perspective. We know that he is a player that gives us many things and as a person he is a great human being. So it always hurts the mood to have a loss of such a close teammate, and now the team has to work." – Mexico defender Miguel Layun on the loss of Javier Hernandez, who broke his collarbone in the team's last prep match for the Gold Cup against Honduras
RECENT FORM
Cuba's team really hasn't been challenged whatsoever against a team like this of late. The last matches this team played were against Curacao in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Those fixtures ended with Cuba being knocked out of consideration already for the next World Cup in Russia, and even that wasn't a huge surprise. The Cubans' last win came against the Dominican Republic in March.
Mexico meanwhile, has been in terrible for as well. The team is 0-5-2 in its last seven matches, which has put manager Miguel Herrera on an uncomfortably hot seat. Anything less than a trip to the final in this tournament, and he surely will be sacked.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Cuban national team really keeps all of its information quite secretive to the point that no one, including the Mexican team, has any idea who will be in the Starting XI.
The case for Mexico is clear. El Tri had a legitimate shot to reach the semifinals of the World Cup just a few short months ago, and even though "Chichario" Hernandez and top defender Hector Moreno are out of this tournament already with injuries, this is still a far more talented side than that of Cuba.
Jesus Corona and Carlos Vela are going to be asked to do a lot more in attack with Hernandez not playing. We haven't seen El Tri have all that much success with or without Hernandez, but the one thing that we do know about the side now is that it is young and exuberant.
The Mexicans should really be playing hard for the full 90 in this one, and if that turns out to be the case, it's really tough to see them not beating Cuba by less than four goals.
Mexico 4, Cuba 0
BookMaker has live Gold Cup odds for every clash of the tournament. You can find a moneyline price on Mexico of -1315 and a total of 3.5 (over -115) 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 Cuba will take place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1.
