Frank Sawyer

FRANK’S CUTTING ROOM FLOOR FOR SUNDAY, 7/6:

My “Cutting Room Floor” plays are the situations I considered the closest to being worthy of investment but did not make the “final cut” for my official plays today for subscribers. The last play I cut for Sunday is with the USMNT plus the goal-line versus Mexico in the finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The USMNT (W4-D1-L0) advanced to the title game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 2-1 victory against Guatemala on Wednesday. After struggling in the CONCACAF Nations League and some friendlies under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Stars and Stripes have begun to take to his approach — and they are growing together as a group after showing resilience in their quarterfinals victory against Costa Rica in the penalty kick shootout. Diego Luna has been the breakout star for the Americans. The USMNT has won three of their last four appearances in the Gold Cup final. They have also beat El Tri in four straight finals in a CONCACAF even this decade. Mexico (W4-D1-L0) does not have their full A-team for this tournament given the injuries to Hirving Lozano and Henry Martin. El Tri has been playing a defensive style under manager Javier Aguirre — but they lack a potent scoring punch. They only managed one goal in their 1-0 victory against Honduras in the semifinals on Wednesday in a match where they generated only 1.26 expected Goals (xG). They have scored just eight goals in their five matches — and they have scored only five goals in their last four matches after netting three goals in their opener against the Dominican Republic. They have generated just 6.48 xG in their five matches. The Stars and Stripes have scored more scoring acumen in this tournament with 12 goals and 10.12 xG. Play the United States plus the goal-line versus Mexico. Best of luck — Frank.

Frank Sawyer’s Hollywood Sports is on a 17 of 26 (65%) Soccer run after DELIVERING their 25* FIFA Club World Cup Quarterfinals Match of the Year yesterday with Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win against Bayern Munich! Now Frank furthers his 15 of 23 (65%) Soccer Game of the Year/Month mark and his 15 of 21 (71%) TOTALS TEAR in soccer with his 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Total of the Year for the Mexico-USMNT over/under winner on Fox-TV at 7:00 PM ET! DO NOT MISS OUT!

At 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Mexico (234225) and the USMNT (234226) in the finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. THE SITUATION: Mexico (W4-D1-L0) reached the championship match of this tournament with their 1-0 victory against Honduras on Wednesday. The USMNT (W4-D1-L0) joined them earlier that day with their 2-1 victory against Guatemala in the semifinal match. This game will be played on a neutral pitch at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: This current incarnation of the Mexican national team is not an explosive scoring club. Canada scored six goals against Honduras in their opening match — but El Tri only managed one goal and a mere 1.26 expected goals (xG). Raul Jimenez scored their lone goal in the 50th minute — they only managed ten shots in the match with just four on target. In this tournament, they have scored eight goals in their five matches on just 6.48 xG — and after their 3-2 victory against the Dominican Republic in a loose opening match, they have scored only five times in four matches. But Mexico has been outstanding on defense embracing a physical style of play under manager Javier Aguirre that has stifled their last four opponents. El Tri has registered four straight clean sheets after holding Los Catrachos to only four shots with just one on target (no Big Chances of 0.3 xG or higher) — Honduras only had 0.10 xG in that match. Overall, Mexico has only conceded those two goals in their opening match against the Dominican Republic — and they have only 1.48 expected Goals Allowed (xGA). They lead all squads in this event by giving up only 1.6 Shots-on-Target per match. The United States Mens National Team only had three Big Chances against Guatemala in the semifinals — and they held them to only two Big Chances. The Stars and Stripes have scored 12 times in their five matches — but they have a 10.12 xG in those contests. They have conceded four times — and their xGA closely matches that 4.44. The Americans have enjoyed a pretty favorable schedule which included Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia, and Haiti in the group stage before Costa Rica and then the Guatemalan side that upset Canada in the quarterfinals. I suspect manager Mauricio Pochettino will have his side play conservative and cagey against El Tri with the hopes of stealing the match in the second half. In the United States' most recent match against Mexico in a friendly on October 15th last year, the Yankees managed just one shot in a 2-0 loss. The intensity of this match will be much higher with a Gold Cup title on the line. Team USA has won three of their last four appearances in a Gold Cup title game — and they registered a clean sheet in two of those matches. And in their last four championship matches in a CONCACAF event this decade against Mexico, they held El Tri scoreless in three of those contests.

FINAL TAKE: Mexico has scored seven of their eight goals in this event in the second half — so there is a very good chance that the second half of this match will have an eye toward extra time (while the quarterfinals and semifinals go directly to a shootout, the finals does indulge in a 30-minute extra-time before the penalty kick shootout). El Tri has registered five straight clean sheets in the Knockout Stage of the Gold Cup. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Mexico (234225) and the USMNT (234226). Best of luck for us — Frank.