Mexico vs. Qatar odds, prediction, start time: 2023 Gold Cup picks, July 2 best bets by top soccer expert
Mexico have clinched their spot in the quarterfinals, but they want to maintain momentum when they face Qatar in their 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup group finale on Sunday. El Tri (2-0-0) cruised past Honduras 4-0 in their Gold Cup group-stage opener, then knocked off Haiti 3-1 on Thursday. That victory sealed Mexico's place in the knockout round, and they have their sights set on a ninth confederation title to extend their record. Qatar (0-1-1) drew 1-1 with Honduras on Thursday after losing 2-1 to Haiti in the opener. They need a victory and Los Catrachos to down the Haitians to have any chance to advance.
Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET in Santa Clara, Calif. Mexico are -300 favorites (risk $300 to win $100) and Qatar are +750 underdogs in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Mexico vs. Qatar odds. A draw is priced at +390, and the over/under for total goals scored is 3.5. Before making any Qatar vs. Mexico picks, you need to see the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup predictions from proven SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since last year's World Cup, Green has been profitable in multiple areas on his soccer picks, including the Champions League (+3.45 units), FA Cup (+3.07) and EFL Cup (+3.64).
Now, Green has broken down the Mexico vs. Qatar matchup from every angle and locked in his Gold Cup picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Qatar vs. Mexico:
- Mexico vs. Qatar spread: Mexico -1.5 (-110)
- Mexico vs. Qatar over/under: 3.5 goals
- Mexico vs. Qatar money line: Mexico -300, Qatar +750, Draw +390
- MEX: El Tri have scored 13 goals over their past seven official games (4-2-1)
- QAT: Qatar have at least one goal in six straight competitive matches (1-2-3)
- Mexico vs. Qatar picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Mexico
El Tri's spot in the next round is secure, but manager Jaime Lozano will want to keep the run going, and he has plenty of talent at his disposal. He will likely rest some key players, but with attackers like Henry Martin, Orbelin Pineda and Luis Romo, there are options. Younger players like Edson Alvarez, Santiago Gimenez and Alberto Alvarado also are coming on strong. Martin, Pineda, Romo and Gimenez all have goals in the tournament, and Uriel Antuna, 25, is a gifted playmaker in midfield.
Antuna, already with 38 caps, is one of the team's top scorers with nine career goals, while Martin has 11. Martin has only 30 caps at age 30, but he was the top scorer and assist man in Liga MX last season, scoring 24 and setting up 10 for Club America. Gimenez is just 22, but he scored 15 goals with Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie last season. El Tri have a 49-12 advantage in shots (16-3 on target) in their first two matches, while Qatar have 15 attempts (three on net) in the tournament. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Qatar
The Maroons are the only team with something on the line, so they'll pit their best against a Mexico side that's likely to be altered. Mexico already are missing stars like Raul Jiménez, Jesus Manuel Corona and Hirving Lozano, and others could be on the bench here. Qatar are likely to play a physical match to break down Mexico's attackers, and they have committed 30 fouls in the two games. They have seen 10 bookings, including a red card to Yousuf Abdurisag, who will miss this match.
Tameem Mansour scored one goal and Abdurisag scored the other in this tournament. Almoez Ali has 42 international goals and needs just one more to tie Mansour Muftah's all-time team record. Mohammed Muntari, Ali's teammate with Al-Duhail in Qatar's Star League, has 15 goals in 55 games. Every player is from that league, with six of the 12 teams represented, so there is familiarity, and former Real Madrid and Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz won't let the team coast in this finale. See which team to pick here.
How to make Mexico vs. Qatar picks
Green has broken down the Mexico vs. Qatar match from every angle. He is leaning Over on the goal total and has two confident best bets and his full breakdown of this 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup group match. He's only sharing his Gold Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
