Guadeloupe vs Guatemala prediction: NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA: Gold Cup betting tips on match 2023-07-04 22:30.
After two rounds of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, only big hitters USA and Mexico had scored more goals than the overseas French territory of Guadeloupe (six). The Gold Cup minnows produced a stunning 4-1 win over Cuba in round two for their first win in this tournament since 2009, and are now on the brink of reaching the knockout stages in what would be an incredible feat for the non-FIFA nation.
Simply avoiding defeat here will see Guadeloupe reach a third knock-out qualification in their Gold Cup history, and that isn’t too much of a far-fetched possibility given the last H2H in the 2021 tournament ended 1-1 before a Guadeloupe victory on penalties denied opponents Guatemala qualification to the group stage. The Gwada Boys may be quietly confident of their chances here as they currently enjoy their best unbeaten run (W3, D1) since a six-game winning run ending in 2021.
Guatemala now have the chance to avenge that 2021 heartbreak in New Jersey, but as they trail Guadeloupe on the all-important goal difference tiebreak, anything but a victory could bring the other Group D fixture (Canada v Cuba) into play. Barring any Cuban heroics, Guatemala may need to continue their perfect defensive record whilst hoping to squeak a goal, yet this could be tight with each of their last five games seeing one or no total goals scored.
The Guatemalans haven’t reached the knockout phase of this tournament since 2011, yet they’ll hope to channel the energy of the 1967 CONCACAF Championship winning side as they did when holding the highest-ranked nation in this section, Canada, to a goalless draw in their previous match, a result that manager Luis Fernando Tena believes Guatemalans would have felt “very proud” of.
Players to watch: Oostende and Guadeloupe star Thierry Ambrose is one of just two players to contribute to a goal in both group games (G1, A1), and has posted Flashscore match ratings of 8.0 or better in both games! Trying to outdo him will be Guatemala’s Darwin Lom, who remains their only goalscorer of the tournament so far despite also missing a penalty.
Hot stat: Just two of Guadeloupe’s last 21 internationals were level after 90 minutes (W11, D2, L8).