Mexico will look to seal top spot in Group C at the Gold Cup by dealing a third defeat to struggling Curacao on Sunday.
El Tri are without most of their best-known players and their coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who is suspended, at this year's tournament but look set to reach the knockout stage with little fuss.
They were held to a 0-0 draw by Jamaica in their second game but still sit in top spot ahead of their meeting with a Curacao side that has lost both of its games without scoring a goal.
| Game | Curacao vs Mexico |
| Date | Sunday, July 16 |
| Time | 17:00 local, 18:00 ET |
TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM
USA Today Sports
In the US, the match will be available to watch live on television on FS1 and by stream via Fox Sports Go. It can also be watched in Spanish on Univision.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| FS1 / Univision | Fox Sports Go |
In the UK, the match will not be broadcast live on television.
SQUADS & TEAM NEWS
| Position | Curacao players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Room, Pieter, Sumter |
| Defenders | Mulder, Martina, Lachman, Jakoba, Carmelia, Gaari, Kortstam, Justiana, Statie |
| Midfielders | Martinus, Bacuna, Antonia, Agustien, Nepomuceno, Bernardus, Maria |
| Forwards | Van Kessel, Hooi, Janga, Zschusschen |
Curacao are without captain Cuco Martina and forward Felitciano Zschusschen, who have left the tournament early to complete transfers to Everton and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, respectively.
Potential starting XI: Room; Gaari, Jakoba, Lachman, Justiana; Mulder, Bacuna; Nepomuceno, Hooi, Antonia; Janga.
| Position | Mexico players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Corona, Fraga, Munoz |
| Defenders | Rodriguez, Pereira, Ayala, Alvarez, Montes, Marin, Lopez, Reyes, Mayorga |
| Midfielders | Molina, Pineda, Gutierrez, E. Hernandez, Pizarro, J. Hernandez, Gallardo, Duenas |
| Forwards | Torres, Barragan, Sepulveda |
As always, exactly what the Mexico lineup is going to look like is anyone's guess.
One of the main decisions Osorio will have to make - from afar - is whether to hand Erick Torres another start up front. The Houston Dynamo striker did not score against Jamaica but was praised for his effort.
Potential starting XI: Corona; Alvarez, Ayala, Marin, Montes; Duenas, Molina; E. Hernandez, Pineda, Gallardo; Torres.
BETTING & GAME ODDS
Mexico are 1/12 favourites to win, according to dabblebet. Curacao are rated 16/1 to triumph and the draw can be backed at 18/1.
Five Mexico players to watch at the Gold Cup
To see all of the markets available for this game, click here to visit dabblebet's match page.
GAME PREVIEW
Mexico would need to lose to Curacao and have Jamaica lose to El Salvador by a narrower scoreline to miss out on the knockout stage, so El Tri do not have to worry about that.
They will be hoping to strike on an attacking rhythm against the weakest team in the group, however, as they prepare for a quarter-final draw that looks likely to pit them against Honduras, Canada or Martinique, none of whom will be pushovers.
Mexico may have one of, if not the strongest and deepest squad at this tournament but their supremacy in defence and midfield will mean little if the ball does not hit the back of their opponents' net on a regular basis.
That did not look like being a problem after the first match against El Salvador, with Elias Hernandez stepping up to fill the playmaking void left by the stars who are not a part of this tournament.
Against Jamaica, though, El Tri found things tougher, and the excellent Andre Blake will not be the last example of real resistance they meet at this Gold Cup.
If Cubo Torres can finish the group stage with a goal or two, that will go a long way towards creating a more relaxed Mexican camp ahead of the games that really matter next week.
