Group C winner Mexico will face off against Honduras on Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the 2017 Gold Cup.
Despite earning seven points in the group stage, Mexico has not had an easy path to the quarterfinals. El Tri will be looking to improve against Honduras, a team that has also had some struggles in the cup.
The Central American nation failed to score a single goal in group play. They also barely made it out of the group stage, failing to beat Panama and Costa Rica.
Even though Los Catrachos have struggled to score, it would be a mistake to count them out. This Mexican team is not at its best. This match will likely be closer than most think.
Honduras
There’s been very few positives in this cup for Honduras. They lost to Costa Rica by a goal and drew with Canada in a lackluster scoreless game.
Canada 0 - 0 Honduras Highlights | @CanadaSoccerEN @FenafuthOrg #GoldCup2017 pic.twitter.com/4UCm1YFet6
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) July 15, 2017
Honduras also drew with French Guiana in regulation but were later awarded the win after the CONCACAF forced French Guiana to forfeit the match. With four points and little to show for it, Honduras are in for a tough game against Mexico.
Part of the reason Los Catrachos have struggled is because they can’t score. Houston Dynamo strikers Romell Quioto and Alberth Elis have yet to find their rhythm. Their inability to finish scoring chances has cost Honduras a lot.
Even against Mexico’s shaky defense, Honduras will likely have a hard time breaking through the middle. In order to score, they’ll have to drop back and wait for a counter. This strategy allowed Curaçao and El Salvador to get a few good looks.
Honduras has a strong group of defenders in the back. They play aggressively and prevent teams from swarming their end of the field. If Honduras can manage to hold off Mexico and counter, they have a decent shot of pulling off the upset.
Mexico
The Mexican national team did not lose a game in the group stage, but they never looked all that impressive either. There seems to be a lack of chemistry between the players on the roster.
GOAL Mexico, Edson ALVAREZ No. 6 | #Curacao @miseleccionmx #GoldCup2017 pic.twitter.com/VlYYQUpie6
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) July 17, 2017
The forwards and midfielders have not looked sharp. Sure Mexico has scored a few goals in the cup, but the tally should be much higher. Against a team like Honduras, which plays physically on defense, Mexico’s forwards may be in for a long night.
In order for Mexico to win, forwards Angel Sepulveda (Morelia) and Orbelin Pineda (Chivas) will have to step up and create individual scoring chances. Honduras will be looking shut down midfielder Elias Hernandez, who is one of the key playmakers on the team.
Another issue for Mexico is its defense. Against El Salvador and Curaçao, El Tri allowed plenty of scoring opportunities. Goalkeeper Jesus Corona had to make a few big saves to bail out the Mexican backline.
.@miseleccionmx’s @jesuscorona01 made the @Allstate Save of the Game against #Curacao #GoldCup2017 pic.twitter.com/xUbcYD16Kk
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) July 17, 2017
Normally, this lack of stability in the back would be a problem at this stage. Fortunately for Mexico, Honduras is not a team with a dynamic offense. All Mexico has to do is create space in the midfield and control possession. Costa Rica was able to do that earlier in the cup and they won the game.
With Hernandez and Erick Gutierrez (Pachuca) in the midfield, Mexico should be able to open the midfield. It won’t be an easy game, but El Tri has more than enough talent to come out on top.
Next: Gold Cup 2017: USA v. El Salvador Preview
Prediction: Mexico 2 – 0 Honduras
Mexico and Honduras will square off on Thursday, July 20th at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will kick-off at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.