Grenada Vs Qatar
Grenada Vs Qatar Sunday 18 July, 2021 – 00:30
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Pick: Under 3.5 Goals
Odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 15 July 2021)
Preview: Goals aplenty but no three points was the damning assessment of both sides after the first batch of fixtures in Group D. Qatar will bid to put that right inside BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, against perennial whipping boys Grenada.
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Table of Contents
Grenada – Maiden Gold Cup victory eluding them?
The wait for a maiden win or draw at the Gold Cup lingers on for Grenada, who, despite a stronger than expected showing in their opener, will be consigned to a third group stage elimination in as many participations unless they can take something from their first ever meeting with Qatar. With odds of 28/1 about them winning and 9/1 not to lose, everything points towards an early exit for the Spice Boys.
A 4-0 losing scoreline would ordinarily imply a team were well beaten, but this wasn’t necessarily true against Honduras. Largely written off before a ball was kicked, Grenada saw a goal bound effort cleared off the line with the scores still locked level at 0-0. Moreover, it wasn’t until the closing stages that their resolve was finally broken, with a 2-0 deficit becoming 4-0 inside the final five minutes.
It is perhaps saying something in itself, though, that a team exceeds expectations but still ends up on the wrong end of a resounding defeat. That made it four losses and just two goals scored from five matches played in 2021. An unspectacular 1-0 victory over the side currently ranked 207 out of 210 in the world, the U.S. Virgin Islands, all the Caribbean country has had to celebrate since the turn of the year.
Qatar – Felix Sanchez seeking defensive improvement?
It’s all downhill from here. After contributing to the most entertaining encounter this tournament has so far seen following a wild 3-3 draw with Panama, surely there is no chance Qatar replicate the same thrills and spills at the second time of asking. All six goals came in an absorbing, end to end second half. Three of them go-ahead goals from the Maroons, who must have wondered how they didn’t win.
This second match-up is a lot more favourable, however. Qatar tower above Grenada in the latest FIFA rankings, sitting 102 places better off than the Caribbean nation. The 2019 AFC Asian Cup winners also boast significantly superior form, winning four of six matches this year to extend their unbeaten sequence to eight (W6 D2). Their most recent loss being in a friendly to South Korea last November.
The three goals Panama did muster up last time was only one shy of the total Qatar conceded across their seven previous internationals. Each of their last five victories, meanwhile, were by a single-goal margin. Four seen them register a clean sheet in the process. It would be wishful thinking, therefore, banking on a similarly chaotic encounter ensuing. Especially considering the gulf in quality between the sides.
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Grenada Vs Qatar Betting Advice
Even with such enticing odds, this looks another mountainous challenge for Grenada. A 4-0 loss to Honduras first time out means they are on the brink, knowing another fruitless outing would see them eliminated from the group for the third time in as many Gold Cup participations. It would also be an eighth consecutive Gold Cup defeat, having shipped more than four goals per game on average across three tournaments.
Grenada Vs Qatar – Key Facts:
- In their opening games of this Gold Cup, Qatar relinquished three leads to draw 3-3 with Panama while Grenada shipped four goals without reply in defeat to Honduras.
- Four of Qatar‘s last five victories were ‘to nil. The Maroon conceded more in that opening contest than they had in their previous seven internationals (2).
- Grenada have now lost four out of five matches in 2021 (W1). That 4-0 loss to Honduras seen them concede nearly as many goals as they had all year (5).
Qatar are expected to win but are wafer thin odds to do so (1/18). Such odds would suggest an emphatic victory, but this isn’t something they dabble in too often. Since the start of 2020, Qatar have featured eleven times in all competitions (friendlies included) but scored more than two goals on just two occasions. Moreover, only one of their previous seven games (the opener vs Panama, 3-3) went Over 3.5 Goals.
Best Betting Odds – Grenada Vs Panama
Grenada – 28/1
Draw – 9/1
Qatar – 1/18
(All odds shown taken from BetVictor)
