USA
- The hosts have won three and lost two of their last five matches.
- Mauricio Pochettino's men will be under immense pressure to win in front of the home crowd, but the pressure will be a positive, as an excited and energised stadium could play it's part in an opening win.
- However, on the flip side, USA are an athletic and dynamic 4-3-3 side that morphs into a 4-2-3-1.
- The USA can hurt teams with their attacking full-backs and rotation from their midfield three, which allows them to overload areas and progress the ball vertically.
Paraguay
- Gustavo Alfaro's Paraguay are an interesting team.
- They have won four and lost four of their last ten games, and are more balanced than they are convincing.
- The South Americans operate from a more rigid and compact 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, setting up in a narrow defensive block and playing with experienced centre-backs who are good from set pieces and organised players who can spring counterattacks.
- Since taking the reins in August 2024, Alfaro has instilled some real defensive discipline in his side and they're capable of frustrating teams, particularly those who try to play the ball on the ground.
- Paraguay have won two and lost three of their last five away games, beating Mexico (2-1) and Greece (1-0) most recently but also losing to Morocco (2-1) in between those two fixtures.
- They are a dangerous travelling team, but they're more likely to nick a result by frustrating their opponents and hitting on the counterattack.
Head-to-Head
The Americans edged Paraguay 2-1 in their last head-to-head clash during the Friendly International Matches of 2024/2025.
Betting Insights
- Paraguay to win at 3.94 is a big odds, with USA just favourites at 2.04 and the draw priced up at 3.5.
- The under 2.5 goals market looks a good bet at 1.63, as Paraguay will keep this game cagey.
Prediction
With a slight home edge, USA's recent attacking output and the odds available, we're backing Poch's men to grind out a win in this tense opening clash.
