by Big Al Staff
Sunday, Jul 18, 2021CONCACAF Gold Cup 2021 Group B Preview: Canada, Haiti, Martinique, United States.
The 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup takes place from July 10th through August 1st, with the finals in Las Vegas. The United States hosts all the games in 10 stadiums throughout nine cities.
The United States Men’s National Team is the favorite in Group B, priced at +170 pre-tournament (all odds from DraftKings). The Stars and Stripes come off a 3-2 victory in extra time against Mexico to claim the CONCACAF Nations League title last month. The USMNT won the Gold Cup for the seventh time in 2017. They finished in second place behind Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup.
Manager Gregg Berhalter will be testing his B team at this event with the players that helped lift the trophy last month off to Europe to train with their professional teams. Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, Werner Bremen’s Josh Sargent, and Manchester City’s Zack Steffan will not compete. Nineteen of the 23 players on Berhalter’s roster play on an MLS squad, led by Orlando City striker Daryl Dike. The Yanks enter this event on an 8-1-1 run in their last ten matches. They have not lost on home soil since an upset loss to Venezuela in a friendly on June 9th, 2019. In their last nine games played in the United States, the USMNT has scored 40 goals and has conceded only four times, with six clean sheets. FIFA ranks the USA at 20th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 22nd.
Canada is priced at +1700 to win the tournament. Les Rouges won the Gold Cup in 2000, and they find themselves amidst a golden generation of talent. Canada has not lost to a team from the CONCACAF region since 2019. They have won six matches in a row with a 31 to 1 goal margin.
Manager John Herman will be without two of his best players for this tournament. Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David are training with their professional teams. The Canucks have depth. Vancouver White Cap’s Lucas Cavallini and Turkish Super League star Cyle Larin lead a potent Canadian attack. Canada ranks 70th in the world by FIFA and 41st in the ELO ratings.
Haiti has +10000 pre-tournament odds. Les Grenadiers reached the semifinals of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup before losing to Mexico. They won their group in the first round of their World Cup qualifying matches before losing both legs of their playoff with Canada to advance to the second round last month.
Manager Jean-Jacques Pierre is dealing with a COVID outbreak on his squad that made five players unavailable in their opening match against the United States. Haiti is led by forward Duckens Nazon who is the national team’s second all-time leading scorer with 29 goals. Columbus Crew forward Derrick Etienne, Jr. joins him in the attack on the wing. Les Grenadiers are ranked 83rd in the world by FIFA and 75th in the ELO ratings.
Martinique had pre-tournament odds of +10000. Les Matinino will be playing for the first time since their CONCACAF Nations League matches in November of 2019. The Caribbean island nation has lost only once in their last five matches. Martinique will recall their narrow 3-2 loss to Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup to inspire confidence in this tournament.
Manager Mario Bocaly’s squad has two players with international experience in Emmanuel Riviere and Kevin Fortune leading the attack. Fullback Patrick Burner has top-flight professional experience in France. As a non-member in FIFA, Les Matinino does not appear in their rankings. The ELO ratings place Martinique 101st in the world.
The 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup takes place from July 10th through August 1st, with the finals in Las Vegas. The United States hosts all the games in 10 stadiums throughout nine cities.
The United States Men’s National Team is the favorite in Group B, priced at +170 pre-tournament (all odds from DraftKings). The Stars and Stripes come off a 3-2 victory in extra time against Mexico to claim the CONCACAF Nations League title last month. The USMNT won the Gold Cup for the seventh time in 2017. They finished in second place behind Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup.
Manager Gregg Berhalter will be testing his B team at this event with the players that helped lift the trophy last month off to Europe to train with their professional teams. Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, Werner Bremen’s Josh Sargent, and Manchester City’s Zack Steffan will not compete. Nineteen of the 23 players on Berhalter’s roster play on an MLS squad, led by Orlando City striker Daryl Dike. The Yanks enter this event on an 8-1-1 run in their last ten matches. They have not lost on home soil since an upset loss to Venezuela in a friendly on June 9th, 2019. In their last nine games played in the United States, the USMNT has scored 40 goals and has conceded only four times, with six clean sheets. FIFA ranks the USA at 20th in the world. The ELO ratings place them 22nd.
Canada is priced at +1700 to win the tournament. Les Rouges won the Gold Cup in 2000, and they find themselves amidst a golden generation of talent. Canada has not lost to a team from the CONCACAF region since 2019. They have won six matches in a row with a 31 to 1 goal margin.
Manager John Herman will be without two of his best players for this tournament. Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David are training with their professional teams. The Canucks have depth. Vancouver White Cap’s Lucas Cavallini and Turkish Super League star Cyle Larin lead a potent Canadian attack. Canada ranks 70th in the world by FIFA and 41st in the ELO ratings.
Haiti has +10000 pre-tournament odds. Les Grenadiers reached the semifinals of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup before losing to Mexico. They won their group in the first round of their World Cup qualifying matches before losing both legs of their playoff with Canada to advance to the second round last month.
Manager Jean-Jacques Pierre is dealing with a COVID outbreak on his squad that made five players unavailable in their opening match against the United States. Haiti is led by forward Duckens Nazon who is the national team’s second all-time leading scorer with 29 goals. Columbus Crew forward Derrick Etienne, Jr. joins him in the attack on the wing. Les Grenadiers are ranked 83rd in the world by FIFA and 75th in the ELO ratings.
Martinique had pre-tournament odds of +10000. Les Matinino will be playing for the first time since their CONCACAF Nations League matches in November of 2019. The Caribbean island nation has lost only once in their last five matches. Martinique will recall their narrow 3-2 loss to Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup to inspire confidence in this tournament.
Manager Mario Bocaly’s squad has two players with international experience in Emmanuel Riviere and Kevin Fortune leading the attack. Fullback Patrick Burner has top-flight professional experience in France. As a non-member in FIFA, Les Matinino does not appear in their rankings. The ELO ratings place Martinique 101st in the world.
