It’s been a harrowing run-up to the Gold Cup for the United States. The USMNT moved on from Jurgen Klinsmann after missing out on the World Cup last year, and they are clearly entering a rebuilding phase under new manager Gregg Berhalter. The results haven’t been there just yet, but they are hoping to retain the Gold Cup despite their struggles. They are heavy favorites against Guyana, and anything less than a multiple goal victory would set off major alarm bells.
Don't miss this Gold Cup match from the Allianz Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on FS1.
2019 Gold Cup Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
United States -5000
Guyana +5000
Draw +1400
Over/Under 4.5 and 5
Odds Analysis
This is Guyana’s debut appearance at the Gold Cup, and this country doesn’t have much of a soccer history. The Golden Jaguars are ranked 177th in the world, and they didn’t play a single match for two years earlier this decade due to off-field issues.
Over the last year, they are 2-1-3 in international play, and they haven’t played teams the caliber of the USMNT. Guyana hammered the Turks and Caicos Islands by a margin of 8-0 in Nations League qualifying, and they knocked off Belize 2-1 too. However, they were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Barbados, and that’s their only other positive result. The Golden Jaguars lost to French Guiana back in November and failed to get a result against either Bermuda or Haiti in the last week.
The USMNT initially looked sharp under Berhalter. They looked revitalized in defense, and they shut out Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador in their first three matches of this calendar year. It’s all come apart from there though.
The Americans drew 1-1 with Chile in late March, but the concerning results are the most recent ones. They looked lost on the attack in a 1-0 loss to Jamaica, and they were hammered 3-0 by Venezuela on Sunday. Venezuela’s Salomon Rondon netted two goals in the first half, and the USMNT lacked creativity on the attack throughout the match.
Guyana Player to Watch
Emery Welshman is the best player on the Golden Jaguars. He may be the most familiar name to USMNT fans as he played college soccer at Siena and Oregon State, and he has bounced around the MLS, the NASL, and the Canadian Premier League. Welshman is currently with Forge FC in Hamilton, and he has already made his mark with his new team. He has scored seven goals in nine matches with the national team.
United States Player to Watch
Someone needs to start scoring for the USMNT. There is largely a youth movement afoot with the national team, but Jozy Altidore is one of the holdovers from the previous regime, and he needs to start scoring. Altidore has netted 41 goals in 111 matches with the national team, yet he hasn’t scored for the United States since bagging a brace against Panama in October 2017. He must get it going since no one else is stepping up. If not, the USMNT might have an embarrassing early exit.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
I don’t think this will be an utter disaster for the USMNT, but they have not inspired much confidence with their play. It’s hard to count on them to score the goals they need to get the cover here, so I’ll take Guyana and the goals. They could very well get blasted, but the USMNT still have a lot of kinks to work through.
2019 Gold Cup Odds: United States 2, Guyana 0
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!
