2015 Gold Cup Betting – USA vs. Jamaica

USA (-250) vs. Jamaica (+750), Draw (+333)

Political detente be damned! Team USA took it to overmatched Cuba in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Gold Cup, crushing their neighbors to the south, 6-0. Now, Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad is one step away from the title game. But first, they will have to deal with a streaking Jamaican squad in the semis this Wednesday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (6:00 PM Eastern).

The Americans have had a fairly easy road to the semifinals so far, taking care of Honduras (2-1) and Haiti (1-0) while drawing Panama (1-1) in the Group Stage. But Klinsmann is aware that the road gets tougher from here on out.

“We know we have a challenge ahead of us,” Klinsmann said following training Sunday in Baltimore. “Any team that can make it this far in such a tough tournament is a strong team. Jamaica is physical and has incredible speed. We will have to give our best.”

Jamaica is not only a physical side, but also a disciplined team on defense, allowing just two goals in the tournament to date (both against Costa Rica in their opening game); since then, the “Reggae Boyz” have earned clean sheets against Canada (1-0), El Salvador (1-0), and Haiti (1-0).

Despite their string of good results, the Jamaicans are coming in as big underdogs; but it’s a role manager Winfried Schaefer and his team will embrace. .

“It feels like David versus Goliath,” Schaefer said Tuesday in the pregame press conference. “But that’s fine. We will try everything to hit the giant when it counts the most.”

In the trends, Team USA has won the last three against Jamaica, including two meetings on the road to the 2014 World Cup. The teams have also met twice in Gold Cup action (2005 and 2011) with the Americans winning by two goals both times.

With the Jamaicans playing solid defense and the USA inconsistent on the attack, don’t expect many goals in this one; A 1-0 American win is the most likely result.

Pick: USA (-250).

(Photo credit: Philipp Zachl – http://www.paparazzi-football.at (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 at (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/at/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)