The U.S. men’s soccer national team finally plays a game that matters. And anything but a victory would constitute a major upset.
The USMNT face Honduras in a Concacaf Nations League semifinal with the winner advancing to Sunday's title game and the loser playing for third place. It's the USA's first match in an official competition since November 2019.
Chelsea striker Christian Pulisic will be back in the lineup for the Americans, who will be fielding a full-strength side as they look to get back on track after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Switzerland in an exhibition tuneup. The USA scheduled the Switzerland match so that players could train at altitude in the Swiss Alps ahead of the Nations League matches at Empower Field in Denver, Colorado.
The biggest lineup questions for head coach Gregg Berhalter will revolve around the starting center forward (Josh Sargent is likely to get the nod again) and the players right behind the target striker. Will Brenden Aaronson or Gio Reyna give up their starting spot for Pulisic?
WATCH: USA vs. Honduras live on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
What is Concacaf Nations League?
Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, launched the Nations League tournament in 2019 to provide a meaningful competition for the 41 countries in the region between World Cup Qualifying and the biennial Gold Cup tournament.
The Nations League divides the 41 countries into three tiers with countries promoted and relegated based on performance. The four group winners of the top tier “League A” advance to a Final Four. USA, Honduras, Mexico and Costa Rica advanced to the inaugural semifinal round. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Final Four was pushed one year to June 2021.
What time is USA vs. Honduras?
- Date: Thursday, June 3
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
The U.S. men’s national team faces Honduras in the first of a Concacaf Nations League semifinal doubleheader in Denver. Mexico and Costa Rica will meet in the other semi.
How to watch USMNT vs. Honduras in USA
- TV channel: CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
- Live stream: Paramount+, fuboTV (7-day free trial)
- Spanish-language TV: Univision, TUDN Deportes
CBS Sports Network will carry the USA vs. Honduras match and it will be streamed on Paramount+ and on fuboTV (7-day free trial). The match will be available with Spanish-language commentary on Univision and TUDN.
USA vs. Honduras odds, prediction
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
History says the U.S. should win this game. The USMNT have defeated Honduras in 12 of the 17 all-time competitive matches and they’ve won the last seven played on U.S. soil.
Although they had their issues (at forward, in midfield and in possession), expect a better U.S. performance than the loss against No. 13-ranked Switzerland. The Swiss are a strong side and the USMNT admittedly had heavy legs from the altitude training.
The Hondurans, ranked No. 67 in the world, will look to make life tough on the Americans. Expect the Central American side to set up a defensive wall and pick out moments to hit the U.S. on the counterattack.
For that reason the attractive value bet on the board is Under 2.5 total goals at +100. But if the U.S. scores early, live betting the over 3.5 goals would be sensible. If Honduras are chasing the game at altitude, they’ll fade fast in the second half and spaces will open up for the USMNT.
Odds:
- Honduras to win: +1000
- Tie: +340
- USA to win: -275
- Total Goals Under 2.5: +100
- Both Teams To Score: +112
- USA to win by 1: +240
- USA to win by 2: +295
- USA to win to nil: +100
Prediction: USA to win by 1 or 2 goals.
