Saudi Arabia and Trinidad and Tobago will go at it on 23 June at Allegiant Stadium. This is a can’t-miss CONCACAF Gold Cup game between two old acquaintances, which will surely leave the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Saudi Arabia come into the game after beating Haiti in their first group-stage game. The result on the scoreboard after 90 minutes of play? 0-1 in favour of the symbolic visitors at Snapdrgon Stadium. However, the result could’ve easily been different on another day, as Haiti had 57.0% possession and more shots at target
Trinidad and Tobago, on the other hand, got obliterated by a superior USMNT side on 16 June. Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s players enjoyed a mind-blowing 71.0% possession, as well as 21 shots at target. For comparison, Trinidad and Tobago’s performers only tried to trouble Matt Freese on three occasions.
How the bookies view it: Close-call match
It would appear that Saudi Arabia are the expected winners this week. A Saudi Arabia win is priced at 1/2, which means Trinidad and Tobago have to play the underdogs. A visitors’ win is valued at 17/4, while there’s also a good chance that the two countries might share the spoils, with odds priced at 7/2.
Recent head to head: Level playing field
The two countries crossed paths only twice over the years. The first-ever meeting was played on 9 May, 1998, and it ended in a thrifty 2-1 Saudi Arabia victory.
In the second clash, a decade after the first one, Trinidad and Tobago did get revenge, as they crushed their rivals via a 1-3 score. Years have passed since the two countries last faced each other, but according to our Saudi Arabia vs Trinidad and Tobago prediction, a draw should be the most logical outcome.
Players to watch: Can Marvin Phillip weather the storm?
Trinidad and Tobago is under the spotlight this week, as he wasn’t exactly a force to be reckoned with in the match against the US side. Sure, he made six crucial saves for his country, but he also conceded on five occasions.
Saleh Alshehri is the other name you should be familiar with. He scored the winner for Saudi Arabia in their quest against Haiti. Sure, it was just a penalty-shot goal, but it’s the three points that matter.
Predicted line-ups
The key thing you should know regarding the lineups is the news on Musab Al-Juwair’s injury status. The Al-Hilal star will not take part in the match against Trinidad and Tobago, which gives the visitors hope that maybe they can get something out of this game. However, we have tremendous goalscorer Al-Shehri among the starters for the hosts, which is huge news for coach Herve Renard.
The visitors’ manager will be able to count on his key performers, which led us to believe the game on 23 June will likely result in a 1-1 or a 2-2 tie.
Saudi Arabia: Alaqidi, Kadesh, Alamri, Abdulhamid, Boushal, Al-Ghamdi, Alhassan, Al Hammami, Aljohani, Al-Sahafi & Al-Shehri
Trinidad and Tobago: Phillip, A. Jones, J. Jones, Garcia, Bateau, J. Garcia, Spicer, Phillips, Fortune, Powder, Molino & Lee
Anything else catch the eye?
We saw over 2.5 goals in seven of Trinidad and Tobago’s last eight games, and a repeat can be considered at 13/20 on BoyleSports. There’s a high probability for a goal fiesta at Allegiant Stadium, as coach Renard’s players are more than motivated to show what they are made of.
GambleAware