Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the CONCACAF Gold Cup match.
The United States are once again hosting the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and expectations remain high for the squad. Saudi Arabia are making their first appearance in the tournament as an invited team.
Saudi Arabia
Invitations to the North and Central American championship have previously been extended not only to South American sides but also to teams from other continents. For instance, South Africa participated in the 2005 edition. In their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign — which will include matches held in the United States — Saudi Arabia finished third in the third round and are now set to compete in the fourth. Their Gold Cup debut got off to a mixed start, narrowly defeating Haiti thanks to a penalty goal.
USA
The United States, meanwhile, cruised past a similarly ranked Trinidad and Tobago side with a 5:0 victory. The key threats were centre-forward Patrick Agyemang, who scored once from four attempts, and Malik Tillman, who scored twice. Despite recording 22 shots, the conversion rate was not particularly impressive. The Americans secured their first win after four consecutive defeats.
Saudi Arabia vs USA Prediction
Trinidad and Tobago are far from a reliable benchmark, and in those four previous losses, the United States managed to score just two goals across 360 minutes. Saudi Arabia have also shown limited attacking output, with five of their last six matches finishing with Total Under 2.5 goals. Our prediction follows the same pattern. Their most recent meeting in 2022 ended 0:0, which fits neatly into this analysis.
