USA Vs Canada
USA Vs Canada Monday 6 September, 2021 – 00:00 (BST)
World Cup Qualifier (CONCACAF)
Pick: Both Teams To Score (NO)
Odds: 4/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 4 September 2021)
Preview: Following disappointing outcomes in their first outings of this third and final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, both USA and Canada take to Nissan Stadium, Nashville, in determined mood as the pair look to get that first win on the board.
World Cup Qualifying Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
USA – Stars and Stripes lacking swagger?
If the previous qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup taught the United States anything, it was that nothing can be taken for granted. Every point must be hard earned. Especially those on the road which was an area in desperate need of attention last time around, when the USA went zero for five on away wins. They are already naught for one this time, after opening with a draw in El Salvador.
The goalless affair in San Salvador now means Gregg Barhalter’s team have mustered three goals in normal time (so extra-time excluded) in their past five encounters. And while some were tough match ups over the summer’s successful Gold Cup tournament, which they won to add to their Nations League triumph in June, it is nevertheless concerning. Though they did record their seventh clean sheet in eight.
All this means that their games these days tend to be tight, and low on goalscoring action. This despite the positive and supposedly fresher additions from Europe, with Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna, who was arguably a standout performer against a well-drilled El Salvador, and Josh Sargent all handed starting roles on opening night. All were omitted from Gold Cup duty entirely.
Canada – Canucks capable of overcoming early setback?
The Canucks haven’t made the cut for any of eight prior World Cups, since losing every group game at Mexico 86′, and indeed, didn’t even make the final stage of CONCACAF qualifying the last five tries. It puts into context the 1-1 draw with Honduras in Toronto on opening night, which, while frustrating, is merely the beginning a 14-game journey that could see them emerge from the wilderness after 36 long years.
Unfortunately for John Herdmann, the Canadian coach who has unquestionably brought this current crop up to the level required for competing for a spot at Qatar 2022, it isn’t set to get any easier any time soon. Les Rouges face the United States next having prevailed in one of their previous fourteen head-to-heads, before hosting an El Salvador side which held USMNT to a scoreless stalemate first time out.
With that Honduras result, Canada boast one win in the last four (D1 L2). A far cry from the eight wins out of eight they had managed from January through to July. They were scoring for fun at that stage, averaging close to five per game. This figure has since dropped to a goal a game now up against sterner foes. The big guns are back in the fold, however, Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David chief among them.
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USA Vs Canada Betting Advice
With star attacker Christian Pulisic still unavailable for selection, United States head coach Gregg Berhalter will have to pick from the same roster which garnered a disappointing 0-0 draw in El Salvador first time around. That was their second competitive fixture without netting inside ninety minutes and brings their tally across their past five encounters to a rather miserly three.
USA VS Canada– Key Facts:
- In a repeat of their group stage match-up from the summer’s Gold Cup, USA renew its rivalry with Canada keen to make it four wins in five meetings.
- The USMNT have been especially dominant on American soil. USA won all of the last three meetings as hosts between the sides, conceding only one goal in the process.
- Not only are the USA hoping to register a sixth consecutive clean sheet but Canada are without a goal in 10 of their past 11 away games versus them.
What the USMNT lack right now is firepower they sure as hell make up for at the back. That is now five clean sheets on the bounce having conceded once in eight games. Ominous, perhaps, for a Canadian team that has suddenly found scoring to be not so straightforward as the quality of their opponents markedly improves. Furthermore, only one of the past seven meetings produced both teams scoring.
Best Betting Odds – USA Vs Canada
USA – 11/20
Draw – 3/1
Canada – 9/2
(All betting odds shown were gathered from Betfair)
