The USMNT battles Panama in the semifinal of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Wednesday. Kickoff from Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego is set for 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1). Below, we preview BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the USMNT vs. Panama odds, and make our best soccer bets, picks and predictions.
The USMNT survived against Canada 2-2 (3-2) in penalty kicks on Sunday in Cincinnati. F Brandon Vazquez subbed late and scored the USMNT’s only goal in full-time. It advanced to the knockout round after winning Group A, barely edging Jamaica on goal differential (both ended with 7 points). F Jesus Ferreira has been the star for the USMNT throughout the Gold Cup, scoring 6 goals in 4 matches.
Panama throttled Qatar 4-0 on Saturday, holding it to just 1 shot on target and 38% possession. Panama ended with 17 shots and 6 on target. It won Group C, scoring 6 goals and allowing 4. It finished with 7 points. F Ismael Diaz had a hat trick against Qatar, scoring the 3 goals in a 10-minute span. The 26-year-old is the main offensive weapon to keep an eye on.
The winner will face the winner of the Mexico-Jamaica match for the title.
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USMNT vs. Panama odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 3:50 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: USMNT -165 (bet $165 to win $100) | Panama +450 (bet $100 to win $450) | Draw +280
- Over/Under: 2.5 (O: +105 | U: -135)
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USMNT vs. Panama picks and predictions
Prediction
USMNT 2, Panama 1
Moneyline (ML)
LEAN USMNT (-165).
The USMNT may not have its top roster, but it did perform well against Canada despite drawing in full-time. It ended the game with 21 shots and 8 on target, respectively 16 and 6 more than Canada. The USMNT ran through the group stage with a +12 goal differential.
Panama won 2 of 3 games as well, but it beat Martinique just 2-1. Martinique finished 3rd in Group C, allowing 9 goals in its 3 games. Panama put on a good showing against Qatar, winning 4-0, but it didn’t quite dominate as much as expected, only having 5 more expected goals.
The juice is here on this moneyline wager, but it’s really the only way to play a team to win outright given how deep the USMNT roster is. Take USMNT (-165).
Over/Under (O/U)
BET OVER 2.5 (+105).
Panama has gone Over this total in every Gold Cup game so far. It had 2 games end 2-1 in the group stage and one 2-2 draw. It also beat Qatar 4-0. Panama’s attack has been solid, and the USMNT did play 120 minutes in Cincinnati Sunday.
Legs, especially on the defensive end and in the midfield, could be tired. The USMNT has scored 2 or more goals in 3 of 4 group stage matches and has had at least 4 shots on goal in all 4. It has several key attackers, like Ferreira, who should be able to wear down a weak Panama defense.
With that in mind, take the OVER 2.5 (+105).
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