Haiti vs Mexico: Both Teams Look To Build on Positive Starts

• Haiti beat Qatar 2-1 in their first game thanks to a last-gasp winning goal
• Mexico started their campaign with a bang, thumping Honduras 4-0 on Sunday
• The winner of this match will be the favorites to go through as Group B winners 

Haiti vs Mexico Odds

The odds for Haiti vs Mexico have been provided to us by the FanDuel sportsbook, which is offering a $1000 no sweat first bet right now.

Haiti vs Mexico Pick

This will not necessarily be a straightforward assignment for El Tri, but they were impressive on matchday one.

• Back Mexico to beat Haiti and over 2.5 goals to be scored.  

Mexico Get Ball Rolling With Confident Victory Over Honduras

Mexico supporters could hardly have asked for a better start to their CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 campaign. They have had relatively little to cheer between World Cup 2022 and now, during which time they have already been through two managers.

Tata Martino was dismissed after Mexico failed to make it beyond the group stage in Qatar. Diego Cocca, his replacement, lasted for just five months. A defeat by the USMNT in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final was the result that proved fatal for Cocca.

Much like the USA are only temporarily being coached by BJ Callaghan, Jimmy Lozano has been handed the Mexican reins for the Gold Cup. But unlike Callaghan, who will make way for the returning Gregg Berhalter after the tournament, Lozano could land the job permanently.

The 44-year-old did his chances no harm on Sunday, as he oversaw a 4-0 thrashing of Honduras. This was just the sort of pick-me-up the nation needed. Granted, Honduras are not the force they once were. But nor are they also-rans in the CONCACAF region.

An unlikely brace from Luis Romo gave Mexico a 2-0 lead in the first half at the weekend, before goals from Orbelin Pineda and Luis Chavez put the icing on the cake after the break. 

The win was important, of course, but the performance was arguably just as significant to lift the mood back home. Mexico played some stylish, attacking soccer last time out, and Honduras were unable to live with them. It was just what El Tri needed after the Nations League failure.

Stiffer tests lie ahead. Group B is not at all easy, with all four teams harboring hopes of making it through to the knockout phase - which is when the real action will start. For now, though, a degree of optimism has returned to the Mexico national team. 

Haiti Among Dark Horses as Big Powers Name Weaker Squads

The three favorites to win the Gold Cup with the best online sportsbooks are the USMNT, Mexico, and Canada, but none of those three nations have named their strongest possible squads for this tournament. 

The likes of Hirving Lozano, Christian Pulisic, and Alphonso Davies are absent, given time off after the Nations League Finals. That means we could see a new winner of the tournament - only those three aforementioned teams have lifted the trophy before.

That would be good news for the CONCACAF region as a whole, if not for the Mexicans, Americans, or Canadians. It is by no means a given and the winner is still more likely than not to come from that trio, but it is not a foregone conclusion.

Haiti are among the outsiders hoping to capitalize. There is an argument that they were underestimated going into the tournament. There have been administrative problems off the field but les Grenadiers performed well in their Nations League group, taking 16 points from a possible 18 to earn promotion to League A.

Going all the way will surely be beyond Haiti, but their 2-1 victory over Qatar on Sunday shows they should not be written off. It looked like the game was set to be a 1-1 draw, but Frantzdy Pierrot struck a dramatic winner in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time. 

The win against Qatar, together with their Nations League success, means Haiti have some momentum behind them. But Thursday’s match will be the toughest they have contested for a while.

Mexico Must Take Nothing for Granted Against Haiti on Thursday

Haiti have shown themselves to be a free-scoring, attack-minded side of late. They notched 22 goals in six games in the Nations League, as Guyana, Bermuda, and Montserrat were all dismissed. 

Mexico is a clear step up from those sides but Lozano must ensure his players do not take anything for granted. In Pierrot and Duckens Nazon, Haiti have two Europe-based forwards who have good scoring returns in international football.

Still, Mexico are strong favorites for good reason. This is not their best possible roster but it still contains plenty of talent, and there was no lack of hunger on display against Honduras. A win here would book their place in the knockout stage with a game to spare - another useful incentive.

This promises to be an entertaining encounter. Haiti will not be reckless, but nor will they simply sit back and hope for the best. That means we could be treated to an entertaining game at the State Farm Stadium.

Over 2.5 goals, therefore, looks like a good pick. For the maximum value, pair it with a Mexico win. Haiti will cause them one or two problems, but perhaps not enough to avoid defeat.

How to Watch Haiti vs Mexico

• Teams: Haiti vs Mexico
• Location: State Farm Stadium, Arizona, United States.
• Date and Time: Jun. 29, 2023, 10.00 p.m. ET 
• How to Watch: Fox Sports 1, fuboTV