Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Vegas Play of the Day: Jamaica vs. Mexico in Gold Cup

Mexico Jamaica

David Zalubowski / AP FILE

Jamaica forward Cory Burke, left, pursues the ball with Mexico midfielder Jesús Gallardo during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Denver.

We’ve entered the fourth season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won back-to-back titles in the 2015-2016 and 2016-17 seasons, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015.

Jamaica plus-645 vs Mexico in the Gold Cup: $300 to win $1,935

Two years after Mexico beat Jamaica in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, the two meet in a semifinal match for the right to play the U.S. in Wednesday’s championship.

But this Mexican team is not the same as the one that captured gold two years ago. El Tri have struggled mightily on the offensive end, lacking the creativity of past Mexico squads. Jamaica, on the other hand, has been one of the most defensively sound clubs in the entire Gold Cup, and have been backed up by the best goalkeeper in the tournament so far -- Andre Blake.

Jamaica has allowed only two goals in four games, and shut out Mexico in a 0-0 draw in the group stage on July 13.

While Mexico is clearly the better team, and should be favored to advance, I think the line is way too high. Jamaica has the defense and goalkeeping to stay in the game, and the scorers to maybe sneak one by Mexico for an upset win. Jamaica’s Romario Williams and Darren Mattocks are two of only eight players with multiple goals in the Gold Cup.

I’ll take the heavy underdog Jamaicans to ruin the dream finals matchup of Mexico versus the U.S.

Current Standings: Keefer (4-1, $11,095), Granger (3-2, $10,622), Grimala (1-1, $10,010), Brewer (2-2, $10,000)

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