Gold Cup: When & Where Does Bermuda Play?
[Written by Don Burgess]
Bermuda will get at least three games in the Gold Cup, and there is a decent chance they could get even more.
What we know for sure is that Bermuda will first face Haiti on June 16 at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica in the first Group B match.
The team will depart for Dallas, Texas on June 17 for their next game. That will happen on June 20 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas against Costa Rica. They will then depart for Newark, New Jersey on June 21 to play Nicaragua at Red Bull Arena on June 24.
Tickets for the last two games are being sold at the Bermuda Football Association offices and online at www.ptix.bm.
The top two teams from Group B will move on to play in Houston, Texas on June 29 against the top two teams from Group A. That Group consists of the Mexico, Canada, Martinique, and Cuba.
Just how likely is it for Bermuda to advance ?
Punters have Bermuda at next to the lowest odds at 17,500 to 1, which ties that at 13th overall. While that does not sound favourable, three of the other teams in Group are also not highly favoured. Haiti is 10th favoured at 10,000 to 1 while Nicaragua is 12,500 to 1.
Costa Rica is the prohibitive favourite among the four at 750 to 1. Because of the low rankings of the three teams other than Costa Rica, some football experts have dubbed this ‘The Group of Life.’ So much so My Football Facts has predicted that Bermuda could advance out of Group B.
My Football Facts preview of the Group:
Costa Rica are not the minnows as perhaps they are perceived from outside the federation. They qualified for the World Cup in 2002 and 2006 and in 2014 they topped a group that included former World Cup winners; England, Italy and Uruguay. They went on to the quarter finals where they lost to the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw.
There is a vast amount of experience in the squad from Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, 87 caps, through skipper Bryan Ruiz of Santos who has scored and impressive 25 goals in his 120 internationals to Joel Campbell the 85 capped forward who plays for Leon.
Haiti has one of the longest football traditions in the region and were only the second Caribbean team to make the World Cup finals which they did in 1974, a year after they won the CONCACAF Championship. Their best known player is St Mirren striker Duckens Nazon who is top scorer with an excellent international scoring ratio of 16 in 26 appearances.
In Nicaragua association football is truly a minority sport hence it wasn`t until 2009 when they qualified for their first major international football competition, the 2009 Gold Cup. The team qualified for but lost out in the group stage of the 2017 CONCACAF Championship. Their best known player is skipper Juan Barrera, with 49 caps, who is also their top scorer with 17 goals.
This will be Bermuda`s debut in a major international tournament and there will be much responsibility on the shoulders of their stand out by a mile top man, Nahki Wells, the QPR striker who can win any game in an instant.
PREDICTION: Costa Rica and outside bet for Bermuda
In an effort to provide comprehensive coverage of Bermuda’s debut in this highly prestigious regional competition, Bernews will have a dedicated reporter traveling with the team to all the games in order to bring all the latest action and insights of our Gombey Warriors, with the special coverage thanks to the support of Butterfield & Vallis, One Communications, and Bermuda Security Group.
Let’s give’m some shock treatment Bermuda!!
Put $100 on Bermuda g the and win 1.75 million! That’s worth a shot! Where can I place the bet? Who is giving these odds?
Following from Houston…lived in Devonshire for 4 years back in the mid ’60s (across the road from Middle Road FC). See you in the Semi-Finals at NRG Stadium. I’ll have my Bermuda flag. Hope to interact with other fans. Friend me.