CONCACAF Gold Cup
by Constance Rigot |
Gold Cup 2017
It contains countries from North America, Central America and the Caribbean zone. This year, it is the United States that is hosting the event. The Gold Cup is held every two years. Before 2015, when the Gold Cup did not fall in the same year as the FIFA Confederations Cup, the winner, or highest-placed team that is a member of both CONCACAF and FIFA, qualified for the next staging of that tournament. Beginning in 2015, the winners of two successive Gold Cups (the 2013 and 2015 editions in the first instance) will face each other in a playoff to determine the CONCACAF entrant to the next Confederations Cup. If the same team has won the Gold Cup on both relevant occasions, there will be no playoff and that team will automatically qualify for the Confederations Cup.
The format of the competition
The Gold Cup has a total of 12 teams, divided into three groups of four. The first two of each group qualify for the quarter-finals, with also the two best third placed teams.
The Groups
Group A
Positioned in the first group, Costa Rica coached by Oscar Ramirez will face Canada, Honduras and French Guiana. With talented players like Joel Campbell, Keylor Navas and Bryan Ruiz, there is no doubt that Costa Rica can take first place. They are proposed at 6/1 by Bet365. Honduras and Canada will battle it out for second place. Canada has many talented players playing in the likes of the MLS and the championship. Guyanawill will need to have their key player Florent Malouda in best form to have any chance in qualifying.
Group B:
Hosting the competition, Bruce Arena's United States will have no other goal in mind than victory. The states have already won five of the tournaments, making it a favourite among bookmakers (, and should have no trouble taking the lead in a group made up of Panama, Nicaragua and Martinique. Martinique should include numerous faces known in France, from Julien Faubert to Frédéric Piquionne, Harry Novillo, Steeve Elana or Rémy Maréval . Panama will be their toughest opponent for second place, Nicaragua clearly not being cut for the tournament.
Group C
Like the US, Mexico is the favourite in the Gold Cup. with the likes of Chicharito, Guardado, Ochoa or Herrera in the squad. ( 5/4), Even if not all of them will travel. Curaçao, El Salvador and Jamaica will fight for second place. These countries should be pretty even and it will be interesting to see how they do.
Sportytrader's review
According to our experts, it is the United States that could win this Gold Cup at home. While Mexico is a direct competitor, who have won the Golf cup the most. Many men in Russia may not be in the US for the tournament, and the Americans should benefit from this. Their rating of 17/10 will be the preferred one. Costa Rica will be the No. 1 outsider, and their final victory at 6/1 will not be overlooked either.
