Our prediction for this Gold Cup match:
Jamaica
Match Time & Date:
12/07/2023
10:00 PM
Prediction: 0-1
Mexico
A spot in the 2023 Gold Cup final will be at stake when Jamaica and Mexico face each other at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday morning. The Reggae Boyz set up a meeting with Mexico in the semis by beating Guatemala 1-0, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry against El Tri. With no fresh injury worries to report, boss Heimir Hallgrimsson is unlikely to make changes to the team that defeated Guatemala.
As always, the opposition back-line should have West Ham United striker Michail Antonio at bay. The Mexicans, on the other hand, are after their ninth Gold Cup trophy. Jaime Lozano have been impressive at the showpiece tournament in USA and even though several first-team regulars have been omitted, we are tempted to put our money on the title-chasing side. Ajax defender Edson Alvarez is one yellow card away from suspension.
Highlighted Player (Leon Bailey):
Leon Bailey is a Phoenix All Stars Academy product who was born in Kingston on August 9, 1997. The Jamaica international played for the likes of FC Liefering and Trencin during his youth career, but he made his senior debut with Belgian side Genk in August, 2015 in a 3-1 win over Saint-Truiden.
The pacey winger quickly established himself as one of the best players in the Belgian top flight, but he scored only 8 goals in 56 appearances for Genk from 2015 to 2017. In the winter of 2017 Leon Bailey signed a deal with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €20 million. Bailey is a left-footed footballer, but he is capable of playing on both sides of the field.
The Bayer Leverkusen winger made one appearance for Jamaica U23 team, but he eventually refused to represent the Reggae Boyz at senior level as he has personal problems with the association. It has to be noted that Leon Bailley scored 12 goals in 34 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2017/2018 Bundesliga season.
Highlighted Team (Mexico):
Football was brought below the United States border by European immigrants who build the foundations for what went on to become one of the most prominent footballing nations in the world. El Tri have qualified to the total of 15 World Cups and have become one of six nations to qualify successfully for the tournament since 1994.
Alongside Brazil and Germany, Mexico are the only country to make it past the group stage over the last six World Cups so it is fair to say that miners from Cornwall and Spanish exiles fleeing the Civil War made a pretty good job embedding the football gene. Mexico are the reigning CONCACAF champions having beaten the surprise package Jamaica 3-1 in the final. Juan Carlos Osorio’s team is captained by Rafael Marquez who is the fourth most-capped player behind Gerrardo Torrado, Pavel Pardo and Claudio Suarez.
Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier Hernandez is the team’s biggest star and current squad’s top scorer with 81 goals to his name. Chicharito is only eight goals behind Jared Borgetti who is the nation’s top scorer.
Denmark 
Spain
Portugal
Poland 
Scotland 
Croatia 
Switzerland 
Serbia 
Albania 
Czech Republic 
Germany 
Bosnia Herzegovina 
