Mexico vs El Salvador
Mexico vs El Salvador Monday 19 July, 2021 – 03:00
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds shown correct at time of writing: 17 July 2021)
Preview: The last occasion Mexico didn’t manage to top their Gold Cup group was 2015. Tata Martino’s are at risk of falling foul to the same offence unless they can thwart El Salvador‘s bid for a perfect record in Group A.
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Table of Contents
Mexico – All options open for El Tri?
Heading into their final Group A encounter, everything remains plausible for defending Gold Cup champions Mexico, who have never previously fallen at the group stage, reaching at least the semi-finals in all of the last seven editions. That record will be tested in Dallas, though, where were they to lose to section leaders El Salvador, it isn’t entirely inconceivable that they could be eliminated there and then.
El Tri only require a point to ensure progression, however, and that has to be the minimum expectation. Their squad is recognised as being by far and away the strongest in the competition, even if one or two players are still in the process of finding their groove. That isn’t necessarily the case for Rogelio Funes Mori, though, the Monterrey goal getter taking his goal tally to three in three appearances last time out.
That was in a convincing 3-0 win over Guatemala and came hot on the heels of a frustrating goalless stalemate with Trinidad & Tobago in the opener. Making it five games unbeaten and no goals conceded since losing 3-2 to USA in the final of the Nations League in June. In fact, since the start of the decade, El Tri’s well-drilled backline has been breached a mere five times across fifteen international fixtures.
El Salvador – Pressure off after easing through to last eight?
Successive 2-0 wins, against first Guatemala followed by Trinidad & Tobago – the latter a side Mexico were unable to breach in their first outing in the competition – means El Salvador have booked their place in the next round with a game to spare. The Central Americans can consequently look ahead to a sixth quarter-final in this their twelfth participation, but who they face next depends on this result.
The winner of this group will meet the runner up from Group D, which could be any one of Honduras, Panama or Qatar. As it stands, El Salvador are heading through as Group A winners after a couple of accomplished displays so far. Along with Mexico, they are the only team to have featured twice that is yet to concede – a record they will do incredibly well to preserve against the tournament favourites.
Los Cuzcatlecos are currently enduring a seven game losing run against Mexico. Confidence must be flowing through camp, however, on the back of just one loss in ten internationals (W7 D2). They have conceded a solitary goal – in a 1-0 loss to Qatar in a competitive pre-tournament friendly – in the last eight of those, so are undoubtedly capable of frustrating their more illustrious opponents.
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Mexico Vs El Salvador Betting Advice
After enduring a frustrating first outing in the goalless draw with Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico would find their scoring boots second time around as they dispatched with Guatemala 3-0 here at this same venue, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. So far though, those efforts are good enough only for second place in Group A, with El Salvador on top and yet to drop a point after successive 2-0 victories over the aforementioned teams.
Mexico Vs El Salvador – Key Facts:
- Following their goalless stalemate with Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico turned it up a notch with a resounding 3-0 win over Guatemala. Their fifth consecutive game without conceding in all competitions.
- El Salvador lead the way in Group A after successive 2-0 victories over Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago. They have now conceded one goal in seven internationals (W5 D1 L1).
- Just one of the three goals scored by Mexico at the tournament came inside the first half. With El Salvador yet to concede at all, a goalless first-half is a possibility.
Remarkably, eight of the last nine head to heads have seen at least three goals. The most recent being a 3-1 Mexico win at the 2017 Gold Cup. It is noticeable, however, the strides both these teams have made defensively over the last year or so. Mexico are chasing a sixth straight clean sheet, two coming in 0-0 draws, whereas El Salvador, who only need to draw and will look to keep things tight and compact, were breached only once in their past seven matches.
Best Betting Odds – Mexico Vs El Salvador
Mexico – 1/5
Draw – 4/1
El Salvador – 19/2
(All odds displayed provided by Betfair)
