Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the third round in the CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage will take place in Houston at Shell Energy Stadium, where Canada will face off against El Salvador. I’m offering a bet on the outcome of this clash with an attractive odds.
Match preview
Canada confidently sits atop Group B, although John Herdman’s side unexpectedly dropped points at the death in their last match against Curaçao. The goal conceded in the fourth minute of stoppage time was certainly not in the Canadians’ plans, especially after looking so organized and solid up to that point. However, their opening game — a convincing 6-0 win over Honduras — showed that this team boasts a powerful attacking arsenal and is fully focused on qualifying from the group in first place.
Against El Salvador, Canada will be doubly motivated: to redeem themselves in front of their fans after the recent slip-up and to settle all questions about playoff qualification before the final whistle. The squad is built on a solid core of quality attacking players: Jonathan David, Jacob Shaffelburg, and Tosin Oluwaseyi are all adept at finding space and capitalizing on their chances. I wouldn’t be surprised if Canada comes out firing from the opening minutes and quickly tries to put the game to bed.
El Salvador enter their final group match as underdogs with only a slim chance of advancing. Hugo Pérez’s team has yet to taste a goal at this tournament: first a scoreless draw with Curaçao, then a 0-2 defeat to Honduras. Clearly, poor finishing and a lack of creativity up front have prevented them from competing for more in such a tough group.
El Salvador’s only hope is to beat Canada. But the stats suggest their chances are minimal: in their last two head-to-head meetings, El Salvador couldn’t even find the back of the net against the North Americans. Meanwhile, their opponents are, to put it mildly, more skilled and cohesive, and El Salvador’s current form suggests that even scoring a single goal will be a tall order.
Probable lineups
- Canada: Dayne St. Clair — Noah Siguur, Joel Waterman, Kamal Miller, Zachary Bassong — Nate Saliba, Ismaël Koné — Jayden Nelson, Jonathan David, Jacob Shaffelburg — Tosin Oluwaseyi
- El Salvador: Mario González — Jose Cibrián, Jonathan Cruz, Bryan Tamacas, Joaquín Flores — Bryan Landaverde, Marvin Cartagena, Harold Osorio — Joaquín Enríquez, Bryan Gil, Eric Dueñas Hernández
Match facts and head-to-head
- El Salvador have not scored a single goal in their two group stage matches.
- Canada have won their last three official encounters against El Salvador.
- In their last two head-to-heads, El Salvador failed to score against Canada.
Prediction
Canada will surely learn from their frustrating slip-up against Curaçao and come out focused and aggressive in attack. El Salvador will need a miracle not only to score their first goal of the tournament but also to overcome a much stronger opponent. Most likely, the North Americans will put in another confident performance and won’t even allow their rivals a consolation goal. Our bet: "Both teams to score – No" at odds of 1.66.
