CONCACAF Gold Cup Outright Odds
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup has begun in the United States. The winner of the month-long tournament will go to the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil. For the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football), the teams are divided into three groups of four prior to the knockout stages and defending champion Mexico leads the outright odds.
Mexico opened in Group A on Monday in convincing fashion with a 5-0 win over El Salvador. Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez had a hat trick. There should be plenty of support for the Mexicans in America. Costa Rica also started with a 5-0 win over Cuba in Group A. They were semi-finalists in 2009 and should reach the knockout stages above El Salvador and Cuba.
Honduras should come out of Group B, with many players represented by the Premier League like Wilson Palacios and Maynor Figueroa. Jamaica could give them a run for their money with goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. This looks to be Jamaica’s best squad since the 1998 World Cup. Guatemala and Grenada, making their second Gold Cup appearance, round out the group.
The Group C betting is headed by the USA, which includes recognizable names like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley. Canada is also in Group C and won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but remain an outside bet. Panama and Guadeloupe complete this group.
Nine of the last 10 and each of the last five CONCACAF Gold Cup titles have been won by either Mexico or the USA so if each gets out of the group rounds, we could see that again. The USA won in 2007. They have beaten Mexico nine times and lost just twice in 16 matches.
CONCACAF Gold Cup Outright Odds (supplied by Ladbrokes)
Mexico: 6/5
USA: 6/4
Costa Rica: 9/1
Honduras: 12/1
Jamaica: 14/1
Canada: 25/1
Panama: 25/1
Guadeloupe: 66/1
Guatemala: 100/1
El Salvador: 250/1
Grenada: 250/1
Cuba: 500/1