Group B CONCACAF Gold Cup action continues at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Saturday, July 11 when Canada squares off against Jamaica in the second group stage match for each team. Canada and El Salvador battled to a 0-0 draw their tournament opener on Wednesday, July 8 at the StubHub Center in Carson California. Meanwhile, Jamaica had to settle for a 2-2 sister-kisser with group favorites Costa Rica at the same stadium in the first game of a doubleheader.
Canada vs Jamaica 2015 Gold Cup Soccer Betting Preview
- bet365 currently lists Jamaica as the favorites to win this match at 13/10 with Canada 21/10 and a 90-minute draw at 11/5
Canada will be disappointed with their single point against El Salvador since they created most of the clear-cut scoring chances over the 90 minutes. But when they did carve out a good opportunity they were betrayed by poor finishing which included weak shots right at the El Salvador goaltender. Canada will also be regretting the fact they didn’t go for the jugular since a win would have given them a two-point lead at the top of the group with the other game ending in a draw as well. They’re now faced with a tougher task against Jamaica on Saturday.
In the first match Wednesday night at the StubHub Center, both Jamaica and Costa Rica came from behind at one point in the game, but each side ended up throwing away a pair of valuable points when all was said and done. It was a relatively exciting show for the fans though. It might also be seen as some type of moral victory for the Jamaicans since they lost all three games in the recent 2015 Copa America tournament by just one goal. Jamaica jumped out an early the lead in the 13th minute courtesy of Garath McCleary. However, Costa Rica came storming back when Roy Miller leveled it at 1-1 in the 33rd minute and David Ramirez put them ahead just four minutes later when he beat goaltender Dwayne Miller.
It didn’t take Jamaica long to tie things up once the second half kicked off tough. Jobi McAnuff scored the equalizer just three minutes into the second stanza when he beat keeper Esteban Alvarado with a left-footed shot just inside the right post. Costa Rica had the best chances to win the contest, but both Miller and Alvarado kept the score level with some fine saves. Jamaica did their part to make it an entertaining game though, and it should give them some confidence as a group heading into Saturday’s clash against Canada.
Canada and Jamaica have faced off against each other 18 times in the past with Jamaica winning four of them, Canada taking eight and the other half dozen ending in a draw. Recently, Canada has won two of the last three meetings with the last encounter being a 3-1 victory last September.
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Written by Ian S. Palmer
