USA v Honduras
- This is the match of the year for USA, in my opinion. A win vaults them into their rightful place at top of the qualifying table and all but cashes their ticket to South Africa. Wednesday's night match was a disaster but certainly what I expected, as the team looked like they could care less about the game. The USA at home is simply ridiculous. Honduras was the last team to beat them at home in a qualifier, 8 years ago, and since then the USA are 15-1-0 including 11-0-0 34/1 in the last 11 qualifiers. Against all teams in the region they are unbeaten in 52(!) games wtih 42-10-0 record and just 16 goals allowed. They'll miss MF Michael Bradley due to suspension and now forward Brian Ching is hurt, so they've called up super in-form striker Connor Casey from Colorado. Heyduk likely will play at RFB and Bradley is easily replaced by Kljestan or others, so I see no real squad problem except for the ever-present LFB issue. Both teams loaded with men carrying cards but USA will go all out at home while Honduras may approach the match similarly to how the USA played in Costa Rica. With 6 starters just 1 caution away from missing the next match, a much more winnable match, I really expect a tentative Honduran team. The USA routinely destroy central american teams at home, 40-8-4, though many would consider this Honduran team to be amongst the toughest they'll have ever played. I expected odds of 1.30-1.35 so 1.50+ is more than playable.
USA 3.5u -182
- This is the match of the year for USA, in my opinion. A win vaults them into their rightful place at top of the qualifying table and all but cashes their ticket to South Africa. Wednesday's night match was a disaster but certainly what I expected, as the team looked like they could care less about the game. The USA at home is simply ridiculous. Honduras was the last team to beat them at home in a qualifier, 8 years ago, and since then the USA are 15-1-0 including 11-0-0 34/1 in the last 11 qualifiers. Against all teams in the region they are unbeaten in 52(!) games wtih 42-10-0 record and just 16 goals allowed. They'll miss MF Michael Bradley due to suspension and now forward Brian Ching is hurt, so they've called up super in-form striker Connor Casey from Colorado. Heyduk likely will play at RFB and Bradley is easily replaced by Kljestan or others, so I see no real squad problem except for the ever-present LFB issue. Both teams loaded with men carrying cards but USA will go all out at home while Honduras may approach the match similarly to how the USA played in Costa Rica. With 6 starters just 1 caution away from missing the next match, a much more winnable match, I really expect a tentative Honduran team. The USA routinely destroy central american teams at home, 40-8-4, though many would consider this Honduran team to be amongst the toughest they'll have ever played. I expected odds of 1.30-1.35 so 1.50+ is more than playable.
USA 3.5u -182
